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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/30002127">A Thousand Nights</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/triumphmusic1980/pseuds/triumphmusic1980'>triumphmusic1980</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Avantasia, Avantasia (Band), Avantasia Protag AU</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-03-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-03-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:55:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>25,168</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/30002127</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/triumphmusic1980/pseuds/triumphmusic1980</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The protags get stranded in a storm and must stay the night in a hotel, though things don't go as well as they'd hoped...</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>22</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Straying</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The guys get stuck on a desolate road, and must stay the night somewhere to wait out the rain.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Aaron, I really think you made a wrong turn…” Scarecrow said, leaning up to the front seats as he looked out the front window into the darkness. “We should have been there an hour ago…”</p><p>“I…agh, damn maps…” Aaron muttered, eyeing the mess of papers beside him. They had gone on a small vacation to somewhere more natural in the forests around Virginia to get away from the city, though the roads here were becoming…winding.</p><p>They had used the electric map for a while, but at one point they lost signal completely. They were in a dead zone, and now it was night and beginning to rain. It was foggy, and Aaron could hardly see the old road before them. To the sides, it was just eternal dark forests. They were relying on old paper maps, though they hadn’t even seen a road sign.</p><p>“Admit it, clockwork, we’re lost…” Scarecrow grumbled, his eyes tired as he stared at the map in Gabriel’s hands, the man frantically looking out the window and back to the map, trying to figure out where they were.</p><p>“I can’t even see any stars to help us…” Gabriel said sadly, glancing out the window. The sky was pitch black as a light rain began to fall, and Gabriel swore he could hear thunder in the distance. It would storm soon, and these hilly roads would become treacherous. All Gabriel saw out his window were trees blowing harshly in the wind, and he couldn’t see anything past the edge of the thick woods. It was just black. Eternal black.</p><p>“We should have passed a school, it said so on the map…” Aaron said, glancing down to the paper in Gabriel’s hands, illuminated by his cell phone light.</p><p>“We haven’t seen any buildings…” Enty said softly, his own gaze stuck out the window beside him. he could see better in the dark than the others, but even still…he just saw eternal night. Just deep woods. And all he heard was the strong wind and rain begin to pick up as it pounded away against the windshield.</p><p>“Great. Fantastic…” Aaron grumbled, turning back to the road. “Maybe we should just turn around…”</p><p>“I don’t know, clockwork…I hate to say it, but look at the gas…” Scarecrow said, pointing to the dashboard. Aaron let out a long sigh when he saw they were almost out. They’ve been driving for hours and hadn’t passed any buildings or gas stations.</p><p>And if they turned around…they would run out of gas in the middle of nowhere.</p><p>“Oh, fellas…we may just have to keep going and pray we find some life…its either we break down in the middle of nowhere, or we take a chance that there will be something ahead…” Aaron said sadly, his gaze now repeatedly going to the gas marker. They didn’t have much longer.</p><p>“Just keep going…” Scarecrow grumbled, though he wasn’t mad. He had been helping with the map himself, and these roads were maze-like and winding. It wasn’t anyone’s fault; it was just bad luck. And…they had a <em>lot</em> of bad luck to spare, it seemed. They were in an unfamiliar place in dangerous conditions. Scarecrow wasn’t mad, he just wanted his friends to find somewhere safe for the night.</p><p>It was summer, but the area they were in was a bit chilly, especially with the rain. He’d hate to have to make everyone sleep in the car, and then when the weather cleared, they’d have to walk god knows how far for help. It really was a bad situation.</p><p>“I haven’t seen any landmarks at all…” Gabriel said sadly, squinting as he looked the map over closer. “I’m not even sure where we took a wrong turn…this road doesn’t seem to even be on here…” He said looking the map over for the hundredth time. He had been mentally keeping track of the road shape and all the turns, and he just…didn’t see the road on the paper before him.</p><p>It was like it didn’t exist at all.</p><p>“We probably just ended up on some backroad, but those rarely dead end…” Aaron said quietly, keeping his nerves down. “These roads are a hassle and quite scenic, but they often end back in a populated town…”</p><p>“Well…hope you’re right…” Scarecrow said, sitting back into the backseat as he glanced out his own window. He just saw darkness. No lights, no houses, nothing. They were just…nowhere.</p><p>And Scarecrow couldn’t help but feel on edge. He squinted, leaning closer to the glass as he did his best to stare into the woods around them. He saw nothing but dark forest. They were alone, and yet…he couldn’t shake a bad feeling.</p><p>He prayed that’s all it was. Just a bad feeling…</p><p>~</p><p>“Oh, come <em>on</em>…” Aaron hissed in anxious frustration, his nerves climbing rapidly. The gas light had come on, and they would definitely run out within the hour. And they hadn’t seen a town, building, or alternate road for ages.</p><p>“There has to be fucking <em>something</em> out here, we were on the highway just two hours ago!” Scarecrow yelled, his own nerves climbing. He kept staring out the window into the darkness, but he saw nothing. Just nothingness.</p><p>“The hills have mellowed out a bit, though…” Enty said, noticing how flat the road had become. “Maybe we got through the mountain…”</p><p>“Maybe, but there’s still <em>nothing</em> out here…” Aaron said in frustration. The gas meter looked almost empty. There were still trees around them on all sides. No sign of life.</p><p>“Well, these roads are paved! <em>Someone</em> has to live out here!” Scarecrow yelled, throwing his hands down in anger.</p><p>“W-wait, look!” Gabriel said, pointing ahead. Aaron squinted and slowed the car a bit, his eyed widening when he saw what Gabriel had seen. With the light of the headlights and through the rain, they could see a faded street sign.</p><p>“It just says…hotel…” Scarecrow said, leaning forward as he read the worn sign, the thing obviously old.</p><p>“Odd…” Aaron whispered to himself, looking the sign over. It was slightly covered in vines, the once white paint chipping away to brown.</p><p>“Uh…I don’t see any hotel on here…not in the middle of nowhere where we have to be…” Gabriel said, looking the map over. “From where we stopped last, the closet hotel should have been the one we were going to…”</p><p>“Maybe it’s one of those small-town ones, not really liable to be put on the general map…” Scarecrow said, knowing there were a lot of one-horse towns around this area.</p><p>“Should we…find it?” Enty said, looking the old sign over. It looked ancient…</p><p>“As sketchy as this is, it’s at least a better chance at getting help than us being stranded on some woodland backroad…” Aaron said, continuing his driving. “If anything, it could have a landline phone we can use…if it’s not abandoned…”</p><p>Scarecrow paused then turned around, eying the rear window to look back at the sign. He squinted to get a better look, though a jolt of terror struck his heart when he thought he saw a dark figure standing on the road behind them. He blinked, watching as the rear windshield wiper cleared the rain off the glass.</p><p>With that, he saw nothing. The road was empty. He stared a moment, but he saw nothing else odd. Just rain. Soon, the sign even faded from view into the darkness and the rain as they got farther away.</p><p>“Damn weather…” Scarecrow grumbled to himself, slowly turning back around. It was just the rain droplets on the window. He was paranoid and on edge. He needed to calm down. He had to stay collected. They were just lost. That was it. He just needed to calm down.</p><p>For about twenty minutes, the group drove on in silence, with each of them keeping an eye out for a town. But all they saw were woods. Though, the woods seemed to clear a bit as some flat lands appeared before them, the dark sky finally apparent, though the rain was still getting worse. Some lightning was beginning to flash as well, illuminating the darkness around them.</p><p>“There!” Gabriel yelled, pointing ahead. The group looked up and relief flooded Aaron’s mind when he saw…light. A building.</p><p>“Thank god…” Scarecrow muttered, though his nerves weren’t fully gone. The building ahead was not huge, but it was larger than the average house. It looked like a smaller mansion, with old antique architecture and dark brown brick walls. He saw some chimneys on the top, and a few balconies on the front and sides, with glowing light orange windows giving off a warm light from the building through white curtains.</p><p>Some areas of the roof were pointed, and they could see some lantern lights on the outside of the front porch, where a stone path led up to the doorsteps. There were smaller shrubs around the outside, and Scarecrow could see a few vines growing up the side.</p><p>It…didn’t look <em>that</em> worn down. It looked nice.</p><p>But still…why would an ornate hotel like this…be out here?</p><p>“Well, god, if that isn’t fate…” Aaron grumbled, and once he said it, Scarecrow felt the car jerk a bit, then slowly come to a stop, the only sound now being the rain pounding away on the metal roof.</p><p>“Wow…” Scarecrow said flatly, eying the empty gas needle. He looked ahead and saw they were only a few yards from the building.</p><p>“Look, maybe we finally got a break for once…” Aaron said, switching the car off fully. “Let’s just…leave most of our stuff here, and see if we can use their phone…”</p><p>“You wanna stay the night?” Scarecrow asked, reaching behind him into his bag for some things. And for his knife.</p><p>“I mean…I want to call our hotel and explain the situation, but I highly doubt they’ll send anyone at this hour…” Aaron said, eying his pocket watch. It was just around midnight. “So…while not optimal, we may have to…”</p><p>“It looks cool!” Enty said brightly, eying the antique building. It wasn’t old from his time, but he could tell it was old from the modern time. It looked cozy.</p><p>Gabriel just stared at it, not sure what to think. He could see some movement from beyond the windows on the upper floors, so there were people there. That was good, but…he still felt odd. This place felt odd. And this was all highly coincidental. But…it was better than sleeping in a cold car in the rain. And as long as he had his family here…they’d be safe from anything weird.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Happy Halloween (yes it's March, time has lost meaning...)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. We're There</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The group checks out the hotel.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Right, let’s just run…” Aaron said, pushing his door open, the sounds of the rain and thunder unmuting themselves as the sound got deafening. The others followed suit and once Aaron locked the car, they quickly made for the front door, trying not to get too wet.</p><p>Scarecrow eyed the steps as they reached the porch, the wooden ceiling above them blocking the rain. The stone path and steps were worn and grayed, but not too broken. The wood was aged, but it looked taken care of. He even saw some potted floral plants beneath the windows where some golden light was shining through and illuminating the porch.</p><p>“Hm…” Gabriel muttered to himself, eying the porch as Aaron opened the door. He flinched, feeling a large drop of rain water land on his head. He looked up, but didn’t see a crack in the wood. He tilted his head in confusion, but was snapped out of his thoughts when he saw his friends enter the building through the ornate glass doors on the front, with a deep brown wood frame surrounding it.</p><p>“Huh…” Aaron said quietly, eying the small humble lobby of the building. The carpets were all a deep red, and the walls a similar wallpaper with ornate faded gold-colored patterns on it. The ceiling was a dark brown, and the room was dim, as the only light sources were some smaller beige-shaded lamps on the front desk and a few of the smaller tables beside some worn red chairs.</p><p>The place looked nice. Not fancy, but…nice. Still odd for its location, though…</p><p>“I’d say it’s weird there’s no one here, but…we’re in the middle of a thunderstorm in the middle of the woods…” Scarecrow said quietly, reaching into his pocket. He closed his fingers around his pocket knife, his bad feeling not fading. Something still felt…wrong. But he couldn’t say what.</p><p>“Come on, let’s just see if anyone’s here…” Aaron said, motioning to the front desk. The others followed, though Gabriel hung close to Enty as he looked around. He had seen movement in the windows outside, but…he didn’t see anyone here now. He didn’t hear anyone.</p><p>The followed Aaron close as they reached the ornate dark wood desk, the furniture shining slightly. Aaron could see some papers on the desk, some old books, and some old keys. But no receptionist.</p><p>“Maybe they’re on break…” Enty said, looking around. He saw a few halls with the same red carpet lining the floors, and rows of dark brown doors going on out of sight around the corner. He saw there were elevators, but both had out of order signs on them.</p><p>“Maybe…I don’t see a bell, though…” Aaron said, looking the desk over. Aside from the few objects he saw, there was nothing else on it.</p><p>Gabriel looked around the room as Aaron scanned the desk, though Gabriel didn’t see much out of the ordinary. The place was quiet, eerily so, but…he didn’t see anything potentially dangerous. Gabriel flinched again, another small drop of liquid hitting his face. He blinked and reached a hand up to his cheek where he felt it hit, but when he felt his skin, it felt normal. There wasn’t any water there.</p><p>He looked up again, though he didn’t see any signs of leaking in the ceiling. The man shook his head, running his hand through his slightly damp hair. It was just rain from his hair when they were outside. He was imagining things.</p><p>“Hm…” Enty said softly, the man stepping away from the group as he looked around. His gaze landed on the wall behind the desk where a large painting hung. He stepped closer and saw it was of a ballroom, the paining rich in beautiful detail. He saw people in flowy dresses and refined suits from his time in it, all dancing to music Enty couldn’t hear. He saw there was a crystal chandelier on the ceiling, and ornate golden carvings lining the edges of the walls, and he even saw a stage in the back where a small string group sat, instruments in hand.</p><p>Enty smiled, the painting nice to look at.</p><p>“Well, we may have to look around…” Aaron said, running his hand through his hair as he turned his gaze away from Enty. “We can’t just hang out here all night…”</p><p>“Damnit, I don’t even see a phone…” Scarecrow said, leaning over the desk as he scanned the contents. He saw no phone at all. He sighed, reaching to his pocket. He pulled his own phone out and eyed it. Still no signal. They were still in a dead zone.</p><p>“Maybe there’s an office somewhere…” Aaron said, looking around. Behind them was an entrance to a dining area, with tables covered in white tablecloths resided, set up, though no one was there. To the left was the front doors, and to the right the elevators. On either side of the desk were to entrances to different halls.</p><p>“Well, I’m getting tired, so I say we ask who the fuck is in charge here…” Scarecrow muttered, pushing past the group as he sauntered towards the far right hall. He turned the corner, though he let out a small cry of fear when he saw a man was right there, the two almost running into each other.</p><p>Scarecrow quickly closed his mouth and hid his fear, the shaken man standing up taller as he stood back. The man before him was older, his hair grayed though it was longer and ragged. He had a white button-up shirt and black vest on. Scarecrow backed away towards his friends, the man’s almost…tired gaze locked on him as he remained in place, his arms behind his back.</p><p>“Uh…” Aaron started, walking up to beside Scarecrow as Enty and Gabriel hung back.</p><p>“I apologize, our door chime has been broken for a few days, I didn’t hear you come in…” The man said, his voice worn but calm.</p><p>“R-right, uh…sorry for arriving late, but-”</p><p>“It’s no trouble, we always have someone up in case late night travelers come by. Now, I am the manager here, how can I help you?” He said, walking over to behind the desk. The group followed, with Aaron staying in the front.</p><p>“Well, to start, we were hoping to use your phone…our car ran out of gas, as we took a wrong turn and were dr-”</p><p>“I’m sorry to say this, but our lines are down due to the storm, it seems.” The man said sympathetically as he gave a small shrug. “We’re an old-fashioned building, and the landlines were in need of repair, but this storm just pushed them too far. We won’t be able to fix them for a few days.”</p><p>“Days?” Scarecrow groaned, not liking this. He didn’t want to be stuck here for days.</p><p>“Do you at least have some extra gas we could use to get us to the next town?” Aaron asked politely, trying to keep calm. His heart dropped when the man shook his head again.</p><p>“My son used the truck for a trip and took the extra gas with it, just in case. I live here, so I have no need to leave.”</p><p>“Does <em>anyone</em> here have a car?” Scarecrow said, his patience wearing thin.</p><p>“I’m afraid you’re the only guests here tonight. Not prime weather for traveling, I must say…and you can see we are not exactly in a prime location for tourists.”</p><p>Gabriel blinked, his heart beating just a bit faster. He had seen movement in some of the windows on the upper floors through the curtains. He knew he did. They were in the rooms…</p><p>“Great, just great…” Scarecrow grumbled, the man rubbing his eyes as he leaned against the desk. No phones, no gas, no help for days. They were stuck.</p><p>“Sir, with all due respect, we can’t stay here for days…” Aaron said sadly, hoping to find an answer. “There must be something you can do…”</p><p>“Not at this hour, no…I’m sorry.” He said, his voice sympathetic. “There <em>is</em> a town nearby, but I don’t recommend walking the roads in this weather…” The manager said, eying the door as another clash of thunder rolled past and shook the room. “But tomorrow, it’s not a horribly long walk, if you are willing and the weather clears.”</p><p>“That…well, I guess that’s what we have to do…” Aaron said, running his hand through his hair as he pondered his limited options. “Are we able to stay tonight, then?”</p><p>“Oh, of course…” The man said, bending down as he opened a drawer. Aaron saw more keys in it. “Would you all like separate rooms, or one, or…?”</p><p>Aaron turned behind him and eyed the group. He saw Gabriel edge a bit closer to Enty, all three, even Scarecrow, looking a bit on edge.</p><p>“One is fine, we’re family…” Aaron said, a small smile on his face. The manager gave a small laugh and looked the group over.</p><p>“Obviously. And here…” He said, handing an old metal key to Aaron.</p><p>“Y’all don’t use keycards?” Scarecrow said, eying the rusted key.</p><p>“We don’t get many people, so money is often tight, hence the poor phone lines. We just don’t have the money for such technology.”</p><p>“Right…” Scarecrow muttered, watching Aaron pocket the key.</p><p>“And don’t worry, we are not an expensive hotel e-”</p><p>“Oh, money is no issue, trust me.” Aaron said with a smile, knowing full well how well off they were thanks to Elderane. “We are just grateful to be out of the rain…”</p><p>“Well, I’m happy to help. And your room is on the third floor, and I apologize, the elevators are out of service…” He said sadly. “The stairs are just around the corner, though.” He said, pointing to the right hall.</p><p>“Th-thank you…” Aaron said, backing away with the group.</p><p>“And if you need anything else, my office is in the basement, right by the stairs.” The man said calmly. Aaron nodded and motioned for the group to follow towards the hall. “Enjoy your stay, Mr. Blackwell.” The man said with a smile as the group turned the corner.</p><p>“Thanks…” Aaron said quietly once more, distracted as the group headed into the hall. They rounded a corner and Aaron saw a door with more glass on it, and he saw the stairs beyond it. “Come on…” Aaron said, hoping to get to their room.</p><p>He had a…bad feeling he couldn’t shake. He just wanted to get somewhere secluded.</p><p>Scarecrow hung back; his mind flighty. The manager was giving him weird vibes. Though Scarecrow couldn’t explain why. He seemed nice enough, though. But it was still odd…the whole hotel was just…quiet. He could hear the wind from outside clearly. There were no generators or anything…and Scarecrow hadn’t noticed before, but…all the lights in on the walls were the same lantern-looking lights. Seemingly oil-based.</p><p>Old-fashioned indeed.</p><p>He rolled his eyes and kept walking, his hands in his pockets as they climbed the stairs. The stairs had the same deep red carpet on them, and the railing was dark brown and smooth. Enty had his hands on the railing, feeling the smooth polished wood as they climbed up, a smile on his face. This place was cozy. It reminded him of…home.</p><p>Enty kept behind Aaron, though he flinched with a small hiss of pain when he felt a stinging in his hand. He pulled his hand back and saw he had a large wooden splinter on his finger. Blinking in confusion, Enty looked down at the railing, the wood…polished and smooth. It shouldn’t have done that…</p><p>Shrugging with a smile as he waved it off, Enty got the wooden splinter quickly out as they walked and carried on, not touching the banister anymore, just in case. It was probably just a loose shard. Nothing more. He didn’t care.</p><p>“Geez, this place is dead…” Scarecrow said, following the group as they reached the third floor. Gabriel looked around and saw no other life. He knew the man said they were the only guests, but…Gabriel could have sworn he saw people in the windows. Maybe it was just staff…</p><p>“Here, we’re here…” Aaron said quietly, reaching the door that matched the label on their key. He put the key in and turned it, the door unlocking.</p><p>“Guess it’s better than sleeping in the car…” Scarecrow grumbled, following the group into the room. Aaron saw a light switch on a wall and flicked it, though it…did nothing.</p><p>“Geez, maybe that’s why they had all those oil lamps…power may be out…” Scarecrow said, using his phone light to guide them into the room.</p><p>“Seems like it…” Aaron said, eying a similar oil lamp on a table between the two beds. He reached down and got it on, a dim golden light filling the room.</p><p>“Here’s one too…” Gabriel said, working on another lamp that was on an old desk. The room lit up, now much brighter than before.</p><p>“Well, he could have told us power was out…” Scarecrow said flatly, sitting on the edge of one of the beds.</p><p>“He seemed…distracted.” Aaron said, noticing how distant the man’s eyes looked. “It is late, he must have just forgotten…”</p><p>“Yeah, yeah, but I’m still mentioning it if we have to leave a review.” Scarecrow said, crossing his arms.</p><p>Enty walked over to the wall with the window, though he felt his hair move slightly as a breeze blew in from the wall. He looked it over, but he didn’t see any cracks or holes.</p><p>“Old building…” Enty muttered, pulling the curtains closed, though those just blew slightly in the draft.</p><p>“Tell me about it! Not even a TV…” Scarecrow grumbled again, pointing to the worn desk with nothing on it but the lamp and some old books.</p><p>“Just be happy we’re out of the rain…” Aaron said, removing his jacket. He threw it on the bed and looked around the room.</p><p>The floor was the same red carpet, and he had to say…the styling was very Victorian. The outside of the building looked old, but…maybe mid twentieth century old. But the inside screamed Victorian time. The walls had old wallpaper with familiar design patterns that…Aaron swore he had seen before in his world, and the ceiling linings were carved and ornate, a practice that had gone mostly out of common style.</p><p>He had to say, though, the familiarity of his time was welcoming. The manager even had a British accent…</p><p>“Well, I say we just go to bed and wait out the storm. I’m still creeped out.” Scarecrow said, hopping off the bed towards the small bathroom. “This isn’t the vacation I had in mind…” He said flatly, sighing in defeat when the bathroom light didn’t turn on either. He saw there was another lamp sitting on the sink, so he got that switched on, the flames flickering in the dim darkness.</p><p>He reached for the sink to turn the water on, though he let out a shocked cry when a liquid that wasn’t water came out of the faucet, the color a brownish-red color. He quickly slammed off the faucet and stood back, confusion swarming his mind.</p><p>His mind blanking, he slowly reached back and turned it on again, though now normal clear water came out.</p><p>“Crow? You alright?” Aaron yelled, eying one of the dusty books on the desk.</p><p>“F-fine!” Scarecrow yelled back, reaching his hand into the water. It felt fine. The man shook his head, closing his eyes as he leaned against the sink. He was tired. It was late and he was paranoid. He was seeing things again.</p><p>Willing to go to bed without washing up just tonight, Scarecrow looked up and took a step back, about to leave. He looked into the mirror, his heart stopping dead in his chest when he saw his reflection in the dim lamplight, though behind him he saw a dark shadowy human silhouette, standing right behind him.</p><p>“GAH!!!” Scarecrow screamed, quickly grabbing and unlocking his pocketknife as he swung it behind him in terror, the blade catching on something as he squeezed his eyes shut.</p><p>“Crow?!” Aaron yelled, pushing the door open farther. He saw Scarecrow standing back, pale and shaking. He had his pocket knife tight in his fist, and before him was the shower curtain, now slightly torn.</p><p>Scarecrow blinked, his vision clearing as he processed what he was seeing. He spun around and looked into the mirror, though the shadow he had seen was gone.</p><p>“Crow…that’s damaging property, you know…” Aaron said tiredly, his voice flat.</p><p>“I…I didn’t…I saw…” Scarecrow stuttered, his gaze going between the mirror and the curtain. He <em>swore</em> someone was behind him. He couldn’t have made that up…could he?</p><p>“Ok, I think you need to go to bed…” Aaron said, grabbing Scarecrow’s arm. He dragged him out of the bathroom, a bit worried at how shaken Scarecrow looked. This was…unlike him.</p><p>“Crow? You ok?” Gabriel said, sitting on the edge of the bed as Aaron pushed Scarecrow towards him.</p><p>“I…I don’t…” Scarecrow started, about to argue though he saw the stern look in Aaron’s eyes. He sighed and closed his knife, pocketing it as he got onto the bed beside Gabriel. “I’m fine. Just tired…” He said, laying down as he faced the wall, away from his friends.</p><p>He was tired. He didn’t sleep well last night and it was now almost 1am. He…couldn’t do all-nighters like Aaron could. He was tired and it was getting to him.</p><p>“Well, you sleep then! I’ll join in a minute…” Gabriel said, putting his satchel in his lap before him.</p><p>“Whatcha doin’, Gabriel?” Enty asked with a smile, swinging his feet off the bed as he watched Gabriel fiddle with some of his religious items.</p><p>“I don’t know, just…making sure this place isn’t cursed…” He said, though when he said it, Scarecrow’s eyes flew open.</p><p>“I’m sure it’s fine! This place is nice!” Enty said brightly, eying the nice décor. There was another painting in their room, this one of some scenery. Some old…Victorian buildings in fall, with a moon above them.</p><p>Aaron glanced up, noticing the painting as he went through his things. He stared a moment, the town on it looking…familiar…</p><p>He shook his head, ignoring the thoughts.</p><p>“I know, but I just…have a feeling and I wanna make sure we’re safe…” Gabriel said, looking the items in his bag over. He had a small bottle of holy water, about a dozen different crosses of different materials, some matches, some small vials of salt, and his pocket bible he carried with him.</p><p>Scarecrow remained on his side, facing away, though he reached a slow hand up and wrapped his fingers around his cross necklace. He still had a bad feeling. And…if something happened that was…unusual…he was useless.</p><p>He couldn’t fight what was already dead. So, in cases like this…he found comfort in Gabriel’s security.</p><p>“Well, you do what you want, Gabriel, but I’m sure there’s nothing to worry about.” Aaron said, getting himself into bed. “Once dawn breaks, we’ll go into town for help. It’s as easy as that.”</p><p>Gabriel nodded with a smile and put his objects back into his satchel. He’d save them. He trusted Aaron. He still had an odd feeling, but…maybe he was just tired and on edge after their long drive. He could use some sleep.</p><p>“Right, everyone sleep well, then. Sorry about this…” Aaron said, setting his glasses on the table beside him.</p><p>“It wasn’t your fault!” Enty said, the man climbing into bed as well beside Aaron.</p><p>“Yeah, and this place is…nice…” Gabriel said, looking around. He felt a bit chilly, but he assumed that was from the odd draft from the old windows.</p><p>“Well, alright…just try and rest, we’ll be back on track tomorrow.” Aaron said, his voice trailing off. Gabriel nodded and saw Enty turn off the last lamp he had set on the table, the room cast into total darkness, save for some dim light from under the door into the hall.</p><p>Shrugging as he pushed down his nerves, Gabriel pulled the…slightly rough sheets up and closed his eyes. He still felt cold, but…he could manage.</p><p>It was just one night.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Just one night...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Calling Your Name</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The guys start seeing strange things...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Enty snapped awake, his breath hitching in his throat. He blinked and eyed the darkness, though he could see slightly with his left eye that was covered with the flames. He saw Gabriel asleep on the other bed and Scarecrow beside him. Enty turned and saw Aaron was beside him in their bed.</p><p>Everyone was asleep. But Enty heard something…or he thought he did…</p><p>He blinked, his mind now fully awake for some reason. His heart skipped when he heard what sounded like scratching in the walls around him, faint enough he could hardly hear it. He sat up straight in bed, the sound catching his attention. Though, once he tuned in, the sound stopped.</p><p>He looked around, the cold draft from before sending a shiver down his spine. He probably heard a mouse in the walls. It was an old building in the woods. That was probable. He was about to go back to sleep when a louder sound sent a jolt through his heart.</p><p>Enty turned and eyed their door, and he could clearly hear scratching against the wood. He didn’t dare move, as he could see a faint flickering shadow through the light under the door. After a moment, the sound faded, and Enty saw the shadow move away.</p><p>He blinked; his mind blanking. Was that…a cat? His curiosity claiming him, Enty climbed carefully and quietly out of bed and edged to the door. He pulled it open and slid into the hall, gently pulling it closed. He didn’t want to wake his friends. Enty looked around, though he didn’t see anything. He didn’t hear anything either.</p><p>He was about to turn away and go back to bed when he heard the scratching again. He walked further into the hall and saw a faint shadow move around a corner.</p><p>“Aw, are you lost too?” Enty said, a smile on his face as he walked calmly down the carpeted halls. It must be a cat…maybe it was looking for shelter from the rain, or…maybe it belonged to the old man. Enty rounded a corner and paused, his smile still on his face when he saw the end of a shadow vanish into an open room.</p><p>He walked ahead, though when he reached the door, he saw it was pitch black inside. He patted his jacket for his phone, but he realized he had left it in the car. None of them thought to bring anything except Gabriel and his satchel. Not wanting to leave the cat here, he pushed the door open slightly, peering inside.</p><p>“Huh…” Enty muttered, looking around. Some light from the hall was seeping into the room only a few feet, but the interior was still pitch black. Enty couldn’t see into it at all. Not sure if he should pry further, Enty took a step back, knowing it was rude to look in other hotel rooms.</p><p>He stopped when he heard the scratching sound again, much louder now. It sounded like animal nails on wood. It had to be a cat. It sounded big. He prayed it wasn’t a raccoon. Enty took in a breath and was about to step forward when he froze, his heart stopping.</p><p>Before him, he saw two faintly glowing eyes in the darkness, small and almost blended into the night. They were near the floor, so Enty knew it must be an animal.</p><p>“Hey, I won’t hurt you…” Enty said, walking further into the room. He heard the floor creak beneath him, though he carried on, fearless of the glowing eyes before him. They were all he could see. He couldn’t see any furniture or walls or anything. It was just blackness.</p><p>Enty saw he was nearing the animal, and he took one more step, though his calm heart immediately began pounding out of his chest in terror when he found the floor he tried to step on was gone.</p><p>Not expecting a drop off, Enty was unable to catch himself and he felt himself fall forward, the light from the hall vanishing as his world was enveloped in complete darkness. He reached up for help but couldn’t grab onto anything. It was like nothing was ever there. He found himself aware for only a moment before he hit something hard, his awareness fleeting away into the darkness as all feeling was lost.</p><p>~</p><p>Gabriel shot up in bed, a distant fearful cry resonating into his dreams. He was breathing heavy as he clutched his chest. He was having a nightmare. He didn’t want to go back to sleep now. He didn’t want to face what demons he saw in his sleep. He would just have to wait…</p><p>He was about to lean back and just stare at the ceiling when he heard…whispers. People talking outside his door. His eyes widening, Gabriel hopped out of bed quietly and ran across the room. He had seen people before. He <em>had</em>. He was right. He had to know to ease his nerves.</p><p>Gabriel heard the whispers fade as he slowly opened the door and peered into the hall. He didn’t see anyone. Sighing in defeat, he was about to pull it closed when he heard the voices again, louder now. He turned and edged farther out into the hall, listening intently. They were in the stairwell.</p><p>His mind stuck on what he heard, he felt the voices guide him down the hall towards the stairs, though once again, they began fading. He peered into the glass covering the stairwell door, but his heart skipped when he saw shadows vanish around the corner of the stairs.</p><p>“Enty…?” Gabriel whispered to himself, catching a glimpse of red and black. Had he heard Enty talking with someone? Curious, he pushed open the stairwell door and began descending. Why would Enty be out? Who were the voices he heard?</p><p>Gabriel reached up and grabbed his cross necklace, muttering a prayer as his nerves rose a bit. He shouldn’t be wandering. But…the voices…</p><p>He had to know what he saw…he had to know…</p><p>He kept descending the stairs, his mind feeling a bit hazy as he focused on the whispers out of sight before him.</p><p>~</p><p>Scarecrow groaned, some movement waking him up from his rough sleep. He cracked his eyes open and looked ahead into the darkness. His eyes widened and he felt his breath leave him in paralyzing shock when he saw another shadowy human-like silhouette before him, standing right at the foot of the bed, looming over him. Its hand was outstretched towards him.</p><p>“F-FUCK OFF!!!” Scarecrow screamed, reaching under his pillow where he had his knife. He tossed it at the shadow, though when he blinked again, there…was nothing there. He breathed heavy a moment, his hand on his heart as his alertness rose tenfold. He couldn’t be just seeing things…could he?</p><p>He let out a shaky breath, though his heart stopped dead in his chest when he saw…he was alone. Gabriel wasn’t beside him.</p><p>“Gabe…?” Scarecrow muttered, his terror making his voice shake when he saw the empty bed. He looked over and felt nauseous when he saw…both Enty and Aaron were gone as well.</p><p>He was alone.</p><p>Fully awake and fully alert, he jumped out of bed and ripped his knife out of the wall, looking around the dark room. It was still raining outside, though the thunder had become distant. He could hear the rain pounding against the roof of the old building.</p><p>“G-guys?!” Scarecrow yelled, looking around in terror. He was alone in his room. “Oh, f-fuck…” He hissed, bolting for the door. He threw it open and ran into the dim hall, the lights still flickering weakly. He looked around, terror gripping his heart.</p><p>He knew something was up with this place.</p><p>Scarecrow took off running, heading for the stairs. His friends had to be here somewhere. He rounded the corner to where the stairs were, though he skidded to a halt when he saw…the door wasn’t there. He looked ahead, another identical hotel hallway was before him, with nothing but rows of room doors.</p><p>“The hell…” Scarecrow muttered; his eyes wide as he stepped back. He could have sworn that’s where the stairs were…</p><p>Not taking a chance, he turned the other way and tried again, rounding the corner, though once again, he was greeted with the same hall. Their own room door was gone now.</p><p>“THIS ISN’T FUNNY, YOU <em>BASTARDS!!!”</em> Scarecrow screamed to no one, not even sure who he would be yelling too. He turned back and ran again, not stopping. He reached the end of the other hall and skidded to a halt as he reached the corner.</p><p>There was just another identical hall.</p><p>“Oh, fuck me…” Scarecrow hissed, his knife tight in his hand as he ran ahead again, occasionally checking some of the doors as he passed them. All the doors were locked, and every time he rounded a corner…he was back to the same hall.</p><p>Scarecrow felt his breathing pick up, his chest feeling tight. He looked around, every door and every lamp looking exactly the same. He could feel the walls closing in on him.</p><p>He was trapped, he couldn’t breathe, he was <em>trapped!</em></p><p><em>“AHHHHH!!!”</em> Scarecrow shrieked, running forward again in blinding terror. He felt tears form in his eyes when he just saw the same hall over and over again. Everything was the same. His room was gone, the stair door was gone, he was gone. Every direction he went was the same.</p><p>Scarecrow gripped his hair with one hand, his legs losing feeling as he staggered ahead, going around another corner.</p><p>It was the same empty hall.</p><p>~</p><p>Aaron let out a breath as he opened the bathroom door, the cold in the room seemingly getting worse. He shook his head in frustration. He was going to be happy to get to the right hotel tomorrow. He walked ahead, freezing in his tracks when he scanned the room.</p><p>He…was alone.</p><p>“Guys?” Aaron asked with a small voice, though he saw…each bed was empty. All three others were gone. His eyes widening, he quickly grabbed his glasses and threw them on, standing in the middle of the room as he lit a lamp. The beds were empty, and he had been in the bathroom.</p><p>His friends were gone.</p><p>“GUYS?!” Aaron tried again, though all he was met with was silence. “Oh, god…” He muttered in fright, his heart pounding out of his chest. He ran to the door and threw it open, though he flinched when he saw the calming golden light from the lamps was replaced with a dark blue, the halls nearly totally dark in the eerie light. He could see a dusty mist cover the ground, the shadows from the now blue lamps dancing on the ceiling.</p><p>He stepped out; his arms held close to himself as he looked around. This was wrong…this was oh, so <em>wrong</em>…</p><p>Aaron’s blood froze when a distant scream echoed from nowhere, the voice muffled.</p><p>“Scarecrow…” Aaron muttered in terror, his blood pounding in his ears as he took off running. Scarecrow was in trouble…his <em>family</em> was in trouble…but the worst part was…</p><p>Aaron didn’t have a <em>clue</em> as to what was even going <em>on</em>.</p><p>~</p><p>Gabriel wanted to turn back. He wanted to go back to his room and get help. But…the voices were so close. He was so close…he wanted to turn away, but his gaze was locked ahead of him as he exited the stairwell. His body felt somewhat numb. Something was wrong, but…he had to find the voices…</p><p>He walked into the lobby; the room empty as it was before. It looked dimmer, and Gabriel swore he saw some chips in the wallpaper that weren’t there before. He turned his head, the voices now grabbing his attention again. He walked towards the dining room, his breathing picking up as he entered. They were here.</p><p>There was a fireplace lit, and a few tables had some small lamps on them. Each one was set with silverware, though no one was in here. Gabriel’s eyes widened, his mind clearing as if a fog was lifted. He was alone. There wasn’t anyone in here at all, and there were no other doors.</p><p>Where…did the voices go?</p><p>Gabriel flinched with a cry when he felt something ice cold touch his shoulder. He spun around but there was no one there.</p><p>“G-guys?” Gabriel cried, some tears forming in his eyes as he scanned the room. Why was he here? Why did he <em>come</em> here?</p><p>He felt his breath leave him when the lamps on the table flickered with the fireplace, all the lights going black in an instant around him. He couldn’t see anything.</p><p>“Aaron?” Gabriel squeaked, his tears not stopping as he looked around. Even the lobby lights were gone. He couldn’t see anything. He didn’t know where the exit was.</p><p>
  <em>‘̶…̶no̶t̴…̸h̴i̶m̶…̵’̵</em>
</p><p>Gabriel let out a shrill scream when a light whisper of a distorted voice appeared behind him, as if the mouth was right against his ear, though when he spun around, he just saw darkness. Tears falling down his cheeks, he backed up, letting out a cry of pain as he ran into a table. He could hear his blood pounding in his ears and he could tell he was wheezing slightly with how fast he was breathing.</p><p>
  <em>‘̷…̸w̷r̶o̷n̸g̶…̶o̷n̸e̸…̸’̴</em>
</p><p>He screamed again, another cold touch reaching his skin, this time on his arm. He spun around and saw nothing, though he felt like he was being watched. He heard footsteps on the wood floor, and Gabriel covered his mouth with his hand when he heard multiple, all around him. There were multiple people here, but he couldn’t see who or where.</p><p>“S-SCARECROW!!!” Gabriel cried, his throat making it hard to speak with how tight it was. He could still hear the whispers beside him, their voices getting louder and louder. They were all around him. They were surrounding him. Gabriel looked around with wide eyes, but just saw darkness. He heard the footsteps stop.</p><p>For a moment, all was silent. He could only hear his heart pounding away in his chest, nothing else. The room was silent.</p><p>
  <em>‘̷…̸he’s w̷r̵o̴n̸g̴…̵n̵o̴t̶ ̷h̸i̶m̴,̷ ̵n̸o̶t̸ ̶h̶i̴m̴,̷ ̴N̶O̵T̵ ̶H̴I̶M̵!̷!̵!̴’̸</em>
</p><p>Gabriel let out a shrill scream, the shaking man hunching over in terror when he heard the voices as if they were on top of him, the whispers now downright screaming in his ears and drowning his senses. He gripped his head with his hands and he kept crying as he felt cold hands grab his arms, though he couldn’t move once they touched him. They pulled on him in different directions, but when he swiped a hand toward it, he felt nothing. It was like nothing was there. He felt like he was being ripped apart, the ice stabbing his very soul and crushing it.</p><p>He let out another cry, the cold reaching deeper and deeper into his being, making his entire body lose feeling. He felt frozen and paralyzed in place, unable to see and unable to move. He couldn’t fight off what was hurting him.</p><p>
  <em>‘̸W̸R̶O̴N̷G̴ ̴O̷N̵E̸!̴!̴!̶’̷</em>
</p><p>He let out a choked scared cry when he felt the cold all around him, making it hard to breathe as it closed in on him. The cold ghostly voices were breathing down his neck, and he could hear them as if they were right beside his ear, their presence much too close. He could feel their frozen breath on his skin, the air temperature dropping as he felt his body go numb. He let out another sob, his eyes squeezed shut as he was about to give in to the cold pulling him under. It was crushing him. He couldn’t breathe, he couldn’t <em>breathe!</em></p><p>“GABRIEL!!!”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>It begins :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Figment of the Lie</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Things get worse...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <strong>TW: Body horror</strong>
</p><p> </p><p>Scarecrow was clutching his chest, his lungs screaming for air as he hyperventilated. He had run the circle of halls hundreds of times, and he found no exit. It was eternal. Every door was locked. He was trapped. Just like before, he was trapped, restrained, locked away like the <em>monster</em> he was!</p><p>He hunched over, gripping his head as his vision swam.</p><p>
  <em>“S-SCARECROW!!!”</em>
</p><p>Scarecrow paused, the screams in his mind going dead silent. He had just heard…someone calling for him. He heard…</p><p>“Gabe…” Scarecrow whispered, his mind clearing. Gabriel sounded terrified. He was in trouble…</p><p>Honing his protective energy, Scarecrow pulled himself up, his breathing still loud as he looked around him. He just saw the same hall. He couldn’t do this again. He <em>had</em> to <em>get</em> to <em>Gabriel</em>.</p><p>Another scream caught his attention. Gabriel’s scream. He could hear him. But if he tried to run…</p><p>“Alright…let’s try something <em>else</em>…” Scarecrow said, putting his pocket knife away. He didn’t know exactly what was going on, but he knew it wasn’t real. It was just an illusion. He had to focus on what was <em>real</em>.</p><p>He closed his eyes, blocking out the endless maze of halls around him. They weren’t real. He smiled when he heard Gabriel’s scream again behind him. <em>That</em> was real. And he could follow it.</p><p>Careful of his step, he kept one hand over his eyes and he turned and walked blindly forward, focusing on Gabriel’s screams. He hated how he must be in trouble, but he had to keep making noise to guide him. He heard Gabriel scream again, and Scarecrow smiled wider when it sounded closer.</p><p>He ran into a wall a few times, but he found he was able to keep on track. He felt the walls and he let Gabriel’s voice guide him out of this stupid illusion. He heard his scream once more, way louder now. Taking a risk, he opened his eyes.</p><p>“HA!!!” Scarecrow screamed, kicking the glass door before him open as he stormed into the stairwell.</p><p>His heart full of pride, he ran down the stairs, skipping steps as he heard another scream from Gabriel. He reached the bottom and saw the lobby was pitch black. He pulled his phone out and used the light on it, the room illuminating in a dusty gray.</p><p>“GABE?!” Scarecrow screamed, looking around. His eyes widened when he heard another scream from his friend. Right around the corner. Scarecrow sped over to the dining room archway and skidded to a halt, his blood freezing.</p><p>He saw Gabriel in the middle of the dark room, his hands covering his ears as he hunched over low, the man shaking and sobbing.</p><p>“Gabe!” Scarecrow screamed, terror grabbing his heart. He didn’t see anything around Gabriel that was hurting him, though. “Gabe?!” Scarecrow yelled once he reached his friend. He kneeled down beside Gabriel, the man not noticing him.</p><p>Scarecrow reached a hand up to grab Gabriel, though yanked it back when he felt how frigid Gabriel’s skin was. Scarecrow’s eyes widened, his stomach churning when he realized what this reminded him of.</p><p>“GABRIEL!!!” Scarecrow screamed, yanking his friend up to his feet. He had to get him out of here. Gabriel’s eyes flew open and Scarecrow saw him breathing harder than he had been, the man shaking in horridly his grasp. “Come on!” Scarecrow yelled, yanking Gabriel towards the exit.</p><p>He kept his hand tight around the sobbing Gabriel’s as he led him out of the darkness and towards the light of the stairwell. Scarecrow felt a shiver go down his spine.</p><p>He heard footsteps close behind him.</p><p>“GAH!!!” He screamed, kicking the glass door open. He ran inside and dragged Gabriel with him, then slammed the door shut, pulling his knife out in defense. He stepped back, letting his nerves fade when he saw nothing there beyond the glass. Just darkness. The cold was fading. They were safe.</p><p>“N-no…no…” Gabriel cried, falling to the floor as he curled in on himself, the cold still resonating in his soul.</p><p>“Gabriel, you’re alright!” Scarecrow yelled, grabbing Gabriel’s still cold arm. Gabriel looked up through tears, his vision blurry, though he could make out a familiar face before him.</p><p>“C-Crow?” He asked, his voice small and sore from screaming. Scarecrow gave a smile, his hand not letting go of Gabriel.</p><p>“I’m here, buddy…you’re alright…” He said, hoping to get Gabriel calm. They still had to find Enty and Aaron in this nightmare. The had to get out of this demonic place.</p><p>“C-Crow…” Gabriel cried, yanking the surprised Scarecrow into a hug. He was warm. It was Scarecrow. Gabriel was safe. Scarecrow rolled his eyes and let Gabriel hug him, knowing this would calm him. He hugged back, and Gabriel felt his heart finally ease.</p><p>Scarecrow had saved him.</p><p>“Gabe, what the FUCK was that?” Scarecrow said from the hug, not sure himself, though he had…ideas.</p><p>“I d-don’t…<em>know</em>…” Gabriel cried. His tears not stopping as he clung to Scarecrow.</p><p>“Well…whatever it was…it won’t hurt you again…we’re gonna find Enty and Aaron and get the <em>fuck</em> out of here…”</p><p>“Th-thank you…” Gabriel said, a small smile on his face as the ice on his soul faded. They would get the others and leave this cursed place. He remained in Scarecrow’s embrace, taking in the safety of his friend’s arms.</p><p>“Don’t worry, Gabe…you won’t have to worry about whatever that was anymore…because I’m going to kill you instead…”</p><p>Gabriel’s eyes flew open, his heart stopping in his chest as his body tensed.</p><p>“Wh-what…?” Gabriel whispered, his terror skyrocketing.</p><p>“Didn’t you hear me? I said <em>I’m</em> going to kill you instead.”</p><p>Gabriel felt more tears form in his eyes, his breathing picking up when he felt Scarecrow hug him tighter.</p><p>“You’re a nuisance, Gabe. And I’m going to save the rest of us the trouble of dealing with you.”</p><p>The younger man’s breath hitched in his throat and he roughly shoved Scarecrow away, his face paling when he saw Scarecrow before him. Scarecrow was sitting there, his clothes ragged and torn, and his skin was much paler and decaying, the color almost white with shredded holes in it, blood escaping it. Gabriel clutched his chest, his body paralyzed in fear when he saw just black empty bloody sockets where Scarecrow’s eyes were, with some deep red blood dripping from them just like his makeup would.</p><p>“We don’t want you around anymore, Gabe. Sorry…” He said almost brightly.</p><p>Gabriel saw more blood start dripping out of Scarecrow’s mouth, the heavy droplets running down his torn skin and landing on his shirt and on the floor, forming a small puddle. The novice looked down and saw Scarecrow reach a hand up, the skin shredded and bloody with bone showing through.</p><p>Gabriel saw a knife in his hand.</p><p>“I wish I had let you die in that park…” Scarecrow said flatly, his head tilting slightly as he edged closer, the blood flow getting heavier and heaver from his eye sockets as it ran down his cheek.</p><p>Gabriel sat back, unable to feel or breathe. He watched in horror as Scarecrow reached his decaying and bloody hand towards him. He saw some blood from the hand drip down and stain his white robe crimson. His heart beating faster than it ever had in his life, Gabriel felt a bolt of adrenaline shoot through him as Scarecrow’s hand was upon him. Gabriel screamed.</p><p>He bolted up and ran forward, screaming with all he had as he grabbed a door that was on the other side of the stairwell, not daring go back the way he came. He threw it open and made a break for it, not sure where he was going.</p><p>All he knew was he had to run.</p><p>~</p><p>Aaron made a break for the stairs, not sure where he had heard Scarecrow’s scream. He was about to push open the door when he heard footsteps behind him. Right behind him.</p><p>Standing behind him.</p><p>“GAH!!!” Aaron screamed, turning and swinging his arm with all he had with a punch. He blinked in confusion. There was nothing there. He was alone. His nerves climbing, he was about to reach for the door again when he heard more footsteps.</p><p>He spun back around and looked down the hall, his heart stopping when he saw a shadowy figure speed around the corner, out of sight.</p><p>“G-guys?” Aaron asked carefully, walking away from the door towards the figure. “Enty? That you?” He asked, looking around the bend. He saw no one. Aaron’s eyes widened when he heard footsteps behind him, the sound muffled slightly on the carpet.</p><p>He spun around again and flinched when he saw their room door slam shut, the noise echoing as if it were in an empty cathedral hall. Looking around and seeing nothing, he walked ahead, sweat forming on his head as he reached for the door handle.</p><p>“G-guys, this <em>isn’t</em> funny…you know how I feel about things like this…” He said firmly, hiding his terror. He took in a nervous breath and pushed the door open, though he just felt confusion when he saw…nothing out of the ordinary in their room. The lamps were even on, the gentle orange glow contrasting against the dim blue of the dark halls.</p><p>Aaron walked in, not sure what to expect. He still didn’t see his friends, and he saw nothing out of the ordinary. Nothing except…</p><p>The scientist’s eyes widened, his face paling as his gaze landed on the one different thing in the room. As his gaze landed on the painting above the desk.</p><p>~</p><p>“Well…whatever it was…it won’t hurt you again…we’re gonna find Enty and Aaron and get the <em>fuck</em> out of here…” Scarecrow said firmly, holding his young and scared friend tight in his arms. This place <em>was</em> cursed. Gabriel was right. And they were going home.</p><p>“Th-thank you…” Gabriel said, and Scarecrow smiled when it sounded like he was calming down.</p><p>“Don’t worry, Gabe…you won’t have to worry about whatever that was anymore…because I’m here, alright?” He said, though he opened his eyes in confusion when he felt Gabriel tense in his arms.</p><p>“Wh-what…?” Gabriel whispered; his voice broken.</p><p>“Didn’t you hear me? I said because I’m here, with you...” Scarecrow said, his fear climbing when he felt Gabriel shudder a bit in his arms. Something was wrong. He held Gabriel tighter, hoping to reassure him. “You’re safe with me, Gabe. I’m always gonna look after you…” He said, feeling the adrenaline make him more open. They were alone, after all. He was always more comfortable being open when he was alone with someone.</p><p>He flinched when he felt Gabriel roughly shove him away. Scarecrow looked him over nervously, not sure why Gabriel looked shaken still. He was sitting back, breathing rough as he clutched his chest.</p><p>“Y-you’re…family, Gabe. Through anything…” He said in forced brightness, though his mind was swarming with confusion and fear.</p><p>Gabriel was still shaking and pale. Scarecrow’s heart dropped when he saw blinding terror form on Gabriel’s face, the man close to hyperventilating. He was trembling in place, his eyes somewhat distant as they stared past Scarecrow. Scarecrow reached over to set his knife down as he stared ahead, concern in his eyes when Gabriel flinched away from him. Ignoring it, he reached to console his friend again, not understanding what was happening.</p><p>“Gabe, what’s wrong? It’s alright, bud, it’s just me…” Scarecrow said fearfully, his head tilting slightly as he edged closer. Gabriel looked terrified…of…<em>him</em>…</p><p>Scarecrow reeled back when Gabriel let out a shrill scream, the younger man gripping his head as he bolted to his feet.</p><p>“Gabe, <em>WAIT!!!”</em> Scarecrow screamed, pulling himself up in horror when he saw Gabriel throw open a door that was by the stairs, the younger man screaming as he vanished beyond it into the darkness. Scarecrow cursed to himself and yanked the door open, following his terrified friend out.</p><p>What the hell just happened?!</p><p>~</p><p>Aaron staggered back, clutching his tight chest as he stared at the painting. The painting that had changed. Before, it was of a slightly familiar old Victorian town, but now…</p><p>It was a painting of decayed ruins of that town. Familiar ruins. And in the painting was a clearing, a bright full moon between the broken stone buildings in a hazy night sky.</p><p>It was the place the spirit world was closest. The place where the god machine was. The place…where the ghosts haunting him were from.</p><p>Aaron let out a scream when the lights in the room shut off immediately, the only illumination coming from the deep blue lamp flames in the hall. He had felt something off about this place. Now he knew why.</p><p>“Wh-where are my friends?!” Aaron screamed, running out into the hall. He saw no one. “WHERE ARE THEY?!”</p><p>
  <em>‘̵…̶n̴o̴t̷…̵n̶e̸e̵d̴e̸d̷…̸’̴</em>
</p><p>Aaron looked around as he felt the temperature drop, a cold draft chilling him to the bone. But he didn’t care. He knew what this was. And he knew what his priorities were.</p><p>“I said…WHERE ARE MY FRIENDS?!” He screamed again; the ghosts he usually saw still hidden out of view.</p><p>
  <em>‘̵.̷.̶.̸y̸o̴u̸.̵.̸.̷’̵</em>
</p><p>“Alright you selfish bastards, I’ll find them MYSELF!!!” Aaron screamed, running for the stairs. He sped down the staircase which was thankfully still illuminated in a calming gold glow, though when he reached the door to the lobby, he felt his heart drop, the room completely dark and cold.</p><p>He grabbed his phone light and shone it around, with shadows on the walls moving in his peripherals as he walked ahead.</p><p><em>“Gabriel?! Enty?! Crow?!”</em> Aaron screamed, his terror climbing when he saw no sign of his friends.</p><p>
  <em>‘̵.̷.̶.̸y̸o̴u̸.̵.̸.̷’̵</em>
</p><p>Aaron spun around, shining his light into the darkness when he heard voices behind him, breathing in his ear. He could feel them nearby.</p><p>“I don’t care about you! Where are my <em>friends?!”</em> Aaron screamed again, not having any of this. He looked around more, his eyes widening as his heart jumped in his chest, terror striking him. He saw the painting before that Enty was looking at, of the dancers in the ballroom.</p><p>Though now, every person in the painting resembled a decaying corpse, their eyes dead and their clothes torn and ragged. Every face of every person was turned towards him, staring right at him. And each person had an arm pointed out towards Aaron; their empty gazes locked on him.</p><p>
  <em>‘̵.̷.̶.̸y̸o̴u̸.!!!’̵ </em>
</p><p>“I don’t <em>care</em> what you want with me! Just let my friends go!” Aaron screamed, ignoring the voices in his ear. They weren’t important. He <em>had</em> to find his friends.</p><p>Not wanting to waste time, he took off running, using his phone light to illuminate the dusty way as he picked a hall and ran. He checked doors as he passed them, though none wanted to open. He was about to pass another when he heard something that sounded like a faint wheeze from behind one of the doors.</p><p>“GUYS?!” Aaron yelled, banging on the door. He didn’t hear the sound again. Cursing to himself and not wanting to take chances, he recalled seeing Scarecrow do the maneuver, and he ran forward, kicking the door with all he had.</p><p>The weak door swung open, and Aaron’s blood froze.</p><p>
  <em>“ENTY!!!”</em>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>This is fun...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Must Not Be</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The guys realize they really need to leave...</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“GABE, JESUS, STOP RUNNING!!!” Scarecrow screamed, following Gabriel through some more halls. Though, as he ran, he noticed the wallpaper was starting to look…more and more worn. Though he ignored it. He had to get Gabriel. Something was <em>wrong</em>…</p><p>He rounded a corner and saw Gabriel push open an old door, and Scarecrow quickly followed. He ran in, seeing it was just…a large empty room. It felt colder in here, and each time he stepped it echoed slightly. But…he didn’t see anything in it. He saw Gabriel back towards the middle of the room, his hands gripping his head in terror.</p><p>“Gabe, please! It’s just me, it’s Scarecrow!!!” Scarecrow yelled, tears welling up in his eyes when he saw Gabriel stare at him in horror. He was looking at him like he was some monster…</p><p>“No…no, go away, GO AWAY!!!” Gabriel cried, shaking his head through sobs as he backed away more. He felt the floor change beneath him. Instead of wood, he felt like he was walking on…concrete. But it looked like wood…</p><p>“Gabe, for the love of god, it’s Scarecrow! Your friend! Remember?!” Scarecrow yelled, unable to stop some tears from escaping his eyes. He wiped them with a hand, though he froze in terror when he blinked them open.</p><p>The ornate but dull room they were in before was gone, and instead he saw blackened, murky black and graffitied walls around him, with a broken chipped ceiling that had vines growing down it through cracks. The floor was damp and muddy, and Scarecrow felt absolute terror strike him when he saw what looked like an old abandoned pool before him, the water downright black and grimy, with Gabriel standing right on the edge as he gripped his head.</p><p>Scarecrow rubbed his eyes again and the room went back to what it was before in a blink, the moldy walls and murky pool gone.</p><p>But Scarecrow knew it wasn’t <em>really</em> gone.</p><p>“Gabe, please, calm down and step forward…” Scarecrow said calmly, his terror skyrocketing when he put the pieces together. Someone was messing with their heads. And Gabriel couldn’t see what was real…</p><p>“No…go away, go <em>away</em>…” Gabriel cried, taking another step back. Scarecrow’s eyes winded and he knew Gabriel was about to fall into whatever water was beyond the illusion.</p><p>“Gabriel, please, it’s me! It’s Scarecrow…your…” He said, pausing as his words caught in his throat. He…<em>had</em> to snap Gabriel out of this. “Your…your <em>brother</em>, Gabe, it’s Scarecrow…” He said brokenly through tears, taking another step forward.</p><p>He reached out to the shaking Gabriel, his hand almost touching his when Gabriel’s head flew up, his eyes widening in horror.</p><p>“Gabe-”</p><p><em>“GO AWAY!!!”</em> Gabriel screamed, and Scarecrow yelled out in surprise when Gabriel grabbed his arm, shoving him away as he ran past. Scarecrow staggered back in shock, though he let out a fearful choked scream when the ground vanished beneath him, and he felt his breath get sucked out of him as he was engulfed in cold murky black water.</p><p>~</p><p>Aaron stood back in shock, not sure what to make of what was before him. He saw what looked like what was once a hotel room, though now it was decrepit and trashed, the walls moldy and black, the wallpaper peeling, and the ceiling collapsed. Pieces of glass and the ceiling were covering the floor, and the furniture was demolished, the window cracked as rain water blew into the freezing room.</p><p>And Enty was lying unconscious on a pile of rubble in the middle, his flames flickering weakly.</p><p><em>“ENTY!!!”</em> Aaron screamed in horror, running ahead as quickly as he could. Enty was laying face-down on a pile of broken floorboards, his jacket now torn and slightly bloody.</p><p>Aaron, his terror making him want to throw up, set his phone light up as it illuminated the room, with bits of dust floating in the bright light. He quickly grabbed Enty, the man limp and unresponsive as Aaron pulled him off the rubble.</p><p>He used his foot to clear the broken bits of glass off the floor, and he laid Enty flat down on his back, placing an old and torn pillow under his head.</p><p>“Enty, <em>god</em>, Enty, don’t <em>do</em> this…” Aaron cried, tears filling his eyes at the sight. Enty had bloody cuts on his face, and Aaron saw he had several smaller shards of wood sticking out of his chest. “J-Jesus Christ, Enty, no…” Aaron franted, pulling his own jacket off as quickly as he could.</p><p>He looked Enty over and, save for internal injuries, the worst Aaron saw were a few shards of wood in his side and shoulder, each not bleeding too badly. The scientist quickly found a weak spot on his jacket and ripped some of it off, the man quickly removing the thin jagged wood splinters in Enty’s chest. They weren’t too deep.</p><p>He could fix this. Enty would be ok.</p><p>Once all the wood was off, he used his jacket to soak up the blood, praying to god Enty didn’t have any horrid internal injuries. He was the most durable of the lot, and Aaron saw his injuries were only on his human side.</p><p>After a few minutes, he saw the blood was stopping. He then used the strips of his jacket and wrapped them around Enty’s chest, hoping to form a makeshift bandage. He tied them tight, and used the remaining smaller strips on Enty’s head, covering up a larger cut on his forehead.</p><p>Aaron sat back, his adrenaline fading. Enty wasn’t breathing rough anymore, and the blood wasn’t even seeping through the fabric that bad. He would be ok. But…he needed to be ok <em>now</em>. Aaron still had no clue where Gabriel or Scarecrow were…</p><p>“Enty?! Enty, come on, we’re in trouble…you need to wake up…” Aaron said urgently, shaking his friend in fright. He didn’t know why the spirits were stopping their advance here, but he wasn’t going to question it. He needed a moment to help Enty. “Enty, <em>please!</em> Wake up!” He cried, and he felt a laugh escape him when Enty let out a groan.</p><p>He was about to shake him again when he froze, the light in the room flickering. He looked up and saw his phone light was now flickering on and off, as if the battery were dying. But Aaron knew that’s not what this was.</p><p>“Enty, you need to wake up NOW!!!” Aaron screamed, shaking Enty more as the off periods in the light became longer. “ENTY!!!”</p><p>~</p><p><em>“GO AWAY!!!”</em> Gabriel screamed, and he quickly grabbed the decaying corpse of his friend and shoved him away, the younger man making a break for it through his tears.</p><p>He froze when he heard a fearful cry. A fearful cry from…Scarecrow…followed by a splash…</p><p>Gabriel turned around, his vision spinning as the darkness of the room morphed in his vision. A demon pretending to be his friend…wouldn’t scream in fear…and Gabriel…couldn’t see him anymore now…</p><p>He let out a groan, rubbing his eyes as a dull pain erupted behind them. He blinked through his tears and looked around, his eyes widening as he felt his breath leave him.</p><p>The room he was in before was gone, and instead he was in a rotting, broken and decaying empty room, the floor muddy and damp, and before him…a murky and dirty abandoned pool with leaves and debris floating on the top of the black water.</p><p>“Wh-what…” Gabriel whispered, too confused to even feel afraid at this point. He was shaken out of his convoluted thoughts when the dark water in the pool shifted, and with a splash, he saw Scarecrow swim up, the man gasping for air.</p><p>Scarecrow. Real Scarecrow. <em>His</em> Scarecrow. No bloody eyes, and no decaying flesh. Just…Scarecrow.</p><p>“G-Gabe…” Scarecrow gasped, the man swimming to the edge. Gabriel stood back in shock when he saw Scarecrow pull himself up, and while he was now dirty and covered in some grime from the water…he was alive. He was really Scarecrow.</p><p>What…happened?</p><p>“Gabe, I-GAH!!!” Scarecrow screamed in terror, his eyes widening when he felt something cold and wet wrap around his leg. In pure blinding instinct to survive, he kicked with all he had, though whatever was clinging to him just pulled him down more.</p><p>Scarecrow couldn’t see anything past an inch into the dirty water. It was just black nothingness. And he was being sucked into it by something he couldn’t see. It felt like a cold hand around his ankle.</p><p>“G-GABE, HEL-GHPH!!!” He screamed; his head being pulled under the water as he clung to the edge of the pool with all he had. He could feel the thing pulling him into the rotting depths, and his lungs were beginning to scream for air.</p><p>He squeezed his eyes shut, his strength leaving him as he felt himself be pulled lower into the cold murky nothingness. He couldn't feel the bottom. The water was cold and slightly thick, and he could feel other unknown small wet objects grazing his legs. The hand around his ankle gripped him tighter, and he could feel his strength fading as his fingers began to slip. He was going to die here…</p><p>
  <em>“CROW!!!”</em>
</p><p>Scarecrow tensed, as right before his hands let go of the edge, he felt different hands wrap firmly around his wrists. For a moment, he felt like he was being torn in half, with something cold wrapped around his ankle pulling him down, and warm hands on the surface pulling him up.</p><p>He felt a dizziness begin to seep into his mind as his lungs began hurting more. He cracked his eyes open but they just stung, and all be saw was black. He felt his chest begin screaming for air, his mind getting hazy. He needed to <em>breathe!</em></p><p>“Crow, come on!!!” Gabriel screamed, pulling with all he had as he yanked Scarecrow out of the water, the man gasping for air as his head breached the grimy surface. Gabriel kept pulling, not daring stop. He didn’t know what was in that water, but he wasn’t about to let it take his friend.</p><p>Gabriel looked down and saw Scarecrow gasping for air and coughing up dirty water, though his ankle was still submerged in the horrid pool, something out of sight still clinging to him.</p><p>“LEAVE HIM ALONE!!!” Gabriel shrieked, and honing all his strength, he gave a final tug on Scarecrow, the two falling back to the ground as whatever was holding him released him. Gabriel sat up, scanning the water. He didn’t see anything at all there. The water was still once more.</p><p>Not taking chances, he grabbed the slightly conscious Scarecrow’s arms and dragged him away from the water even more, tears in his eyes as he did so. Scarecrow was still gasping for air, his clothes drenched and muddy, and his hair now covered in black muddy gunk.</p><p>Gabriel pulled Scarecrow to his feet and began running with him, not looking back as they got away from that horrid room. He ran back down the now even more decrepit halls he came down, the ceiling above them caving in slightly as wood boards hung down.</p><p>Finally, he reached the stairwell, the orange and bright glow still there. He pushed the door open and sat Scarecrow down by the carpet-covered stairs, the man still coughing harshly. Gabriel went back and closed the door, then checked around them as he scanned with alert eyes, the fog in his mind once more cleared.</p><p>They were alone here.</p><p>“Crow?!” Gabriel cried, going to his friend’s side, tears in his eyes. “Crow, I’m so <em>sorry</em>, that was all my fault, I’m so sorry!!!” He sobbed, clinging to the wet Scarecrow as tight as he could in a hug, his tears not stopping. His eyes flew open when he felt Scarecrow slowly embrace back, the man shivering slightly.</p><p>“Th-thanks…for the…save…Gabe…” Scarecrow said between breaths, a smile on his face as he held him tight. Gabriel felt himself break and he squeezed his eyes shut, clinging back with all he had. He did that to his friend...</p><p>“I’m s-so sorry…”</p><p>“Not your…fault…fucking ghosts, or…whatever…” He said, his breath finally coming back to him as he remained in Gabriel’s embrace.</p><p>“But…”</p><p>“Gabe…<em>not</em> your fault…” Scarecrow said, pushing back as he met Gabriel’s tearful eyes. “You saved me back there…from…<em>whatever</em> the <em>fuck</em> that was…so thank you…” He said, his heart warm. Something was messing with their minds, but Gabriel overcame it just in time.</p><p>And Scarecrow couldn’t be more proud.</p><p>“What…what happened, I…I don’t…” Gabriel said, edging closer to Scarecrow as he looked around in fright.</p><p>“I don’t know for sure…but you were right…this place is cursed…” He said, looking around. He saw the door they had come from had changed now, as it was once a dark sheen ornate brown, now it was a broken and splintered gray, the wood rotting slightly. “This whole place is fake…and we need to get out of here…”</p><p>“Wh-where’s Aaron and Enty?”</p><p>“I don’t know…I haven’t seen them at all…” Scarecrow said sadly as he wiped some mud off his face, not even sure where to begin to look. He sighed as he ran his hand through his now somewhat slimy hair, a shiver going down his spine.</p><p>He felt sick to his stomach as he eyed the gunk on his hands, the grime covering his entire body. He needed a shower...</p><p>Gabriel was about to say something but froze, the duo’s face’s paling when a scream echoed from somewhere around them.</p><p>“Aaron…” The duo said in unison, their hearts dropping. They had a lead.</p><p>“Come on!” Scarecrow yelled, pulling himself to his feet, Gabriel doing the same.</p><p>“W-wait, but the demons…” Gabriel cried, his terror taking over as Scarecrow threw the door open to the dark lobby, the duo not sure where the first scream had come from.</p><p>“They could be hurting Aaron or Enty…we <em>gotta</em> find them…” Scarecrow said, holding his hand out. Gabriel eyed it a moment then nodded, giving a small smile as he took Scarecrow’s hand in his own.</p><p>“You’re right…”</p><p>“Don’t worry…I won’t let anything happen to us…” Scarecrow said, guiding them out of the room.</p><p>“Wh-where…did they go?” Gabriel said, looking around the pitch-black room, the only light being Scarecrow’s phone. Gabriel kept his hand tight in Scarecrow’s, the endless black halls unnerving him greatly.</p><p>Another scream cut through the deafening silence, and the duo looked back behind them.</p><p>“I hate to say it…but I think the basement…” Scarecrow muttered, eying the stairwell again. “We need to go down…”</p><p>Gabriel froze, his mind going silent as Scarecrow began guiding them towards the stairs once more where the source of the scream was.</p><p>“Gabe, come on!” Scarecrow yelled, now realizing Gabriel was dragging his feet.</p><p>“Maybe…we shouldn’t interfere…”</p><p>Scarecrow paused, a jolt of terror striking his heart at Gabriel’s quiet voice. He stopped his walking and turned, eying Gabriel. The man was standing still, staring beyond him. He looked distracted.</p><p>“Gabe?”</p><p>“Maybe…we shouldn’t…interfere…with what must…be done…” He said, his voice breaking slightly, as if he were straining to say it. Scarecrow made a move to pull away but found his hand was stuck in Gabriel’s, the man standing resolute before him and his grip tight.</p><p>“Gabe, they could be in trouble! The hell is wrong with you?!</p><p>“Don’t…interf̸e̶r̸e̷…”</p><p>Scarecrow’s eyes widened in horror, his body going numb when he heard another strange whispy voice on top of Gabriel’s, his friend’s eyes still staring miles away. His expression was blank and neutral, with no sign of life.</p><p>“G-Gabe…?” Scarecrow squeaked, feeling his friend’s hand hold his own tighter, to the point it hurt. Gabriel just stared past him, wavering on his feet slightly as his eyes glazed over, the color looking foggier.</p><p>“Y̸o̷u̶ ̷c̵a̴n̴'̴t̵.̷.̵.̵i̴n̸t̶e̴r̸f̴e̴r̸e̴.̵.̸.̶”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Uh oh...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Close Your Eyes</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Aaron sees what he's needed for.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“ENTY!!!” Aaron yelled, shaking his friend harder as the lights flickered. He smiled with a laugh when Enty groaned, his hand moving to his head.</p><p>“Ugh…” He muttered, the man struggling to sit up.</p><p>“Enty, come <em>on</em>, we need to-”</p><p>Aaron started, but froze when the light went out completely. He edged closer to Enty, the man still not aware yet.</p><p>“Enty, come on, <em>now</em> would be a good time to come back to me…” Aaron said, his terror rising. He froze when he heard footsteps again. He slowly turned his gaze, his face paling when he saw the man from before in the doorway, his eyes dark and lifeless.</p><p>“We need you, Mr. Blackwell.” He said, his voice flat, though Aaron could swear he heard traces of other voices on top of the man’s.</p><p>“Where are my other friends?!” Aaron yelled back, hoping Enty snapped out of it soon.</p><p>“We don’t need them.”</p><p>“Listen here, you dead-eyed m-GAH!!!” Aaron gasped, with ice cold hands grabbing him by his arms, holding him tight. He looked beside him and saw two shadowy apparitions, their faces distorted and cloudy.</p><p>“We need you.” The manager said again, stepping back. Aaron felt the ghosts pull him to his feet, their arms not touching his physical body, but his spirit. They could touch him, but he couldn’t touch them. He couldn’t escape.</p><p>“E-ENTY!!!” Aaron cried, kicking his legs as he was dragged out of the room, though it did no good. The ghost’s strong grip was cold and relentless. “ENTY, WAKE U-GHPH!!!” He screamed, though he felt a cold hand cover his mouth, preventing him from screaming more.</p><p>His eyes widened when they dragged him down the hall, towards the stairs, the lights flickering as they entered and began going down. He kicked more, but he couldn’t even touch the ghosts. He felt tears fill his eyes when he saw the light from up the stairs fade, the basement dark and murky, with cold stone walls replacing the once welcoming wallpaper.</p><p>The temperature was dropping rapidly, and Aaron saw them drag him towards an old faded wood door at the end of the cobweb-littered grimy stone hall.</p><p>He had no idea what was waiting for him on the other side.</p><p>~</p><p>Enty groaned in pain, putting his hand to his head as he sat up. He felt…a cloth bandage. Who put that there…?</p><p>
  <em>“ENTY, WAKE U-GHPH!!!”</em>
</p><p>Enty’s blood froze, a scream from down the hall sending a shock through his body. He shot to his feet, his heart pounding out of his chest. That was Aaron. He was in trouble…</p><p>He was about to run out when he froze, looking down on the dirty debris-littered floor. He reached down with wide eyes and picked up Aaron’s nice jacket, the thing now torn and bloody. Enty’s eyes widened and he looked himself over, noticing strips of the jacket’s fabric around his chest.</p><p>Aaron had been helping him…</p><p>“A-Aaron!!!” Enty cried in fear, grabbing Aaron’s phone and the jacket as he ran out of the room. A shiver went down his spine when he saw the once homey looking lobby was nearly pitch black, the colors now gray and dusty, the wallpaper peeling off the stone walls. He heard another muffled scream from the stairwell and he ran towards it, terror suffocating his heart.</p><p>He heard Aaron’s scream come from the basement. Without another thought, he descended the breaking wood stairs, his mind focused on one thing.</p><p>Saving his friend.</p><p>~</p><p>“Y̸o̷u̶ ̷c̵a̴n̴'̴t̵.̷.̵.̵i̴n̸t̶e̴r̸f̴e̴r̸e̴.̵.̸.̶”</p><p>Scarecrow felt his blood freeze at the layered ghostly voices coming out of Gabriel’s mouth. He breathed heavy, trying again to pull his hand free, though Gabriel just held him tighter, his nails digging into his skin.</p><p>“G-Gabe…Gabe, come on, don’t do this…” Scarecrow cried, more tears filling his eyes at the sight. Gabriel didn’t say a word, and instead just stood resolute, his hand firmly holding Scarecrow’s. “Gabriel?” Scarecrow tried again, the distant lifeless look in Gabriel’s foggy eyes making him feel sick.</p><p>"̷W̷e̴ ̸n̵e̶e̸d̴.̵.̷.̵h̵i̵m̶.̵.̸.̴y̷o̴u̷ ̷c̷a̸n̵n̶o̵t̵.̸.̷.̸i̶n̵t̴e̷r̶f̶e̶r̸e̸.̶.̵.̷"̸</p><p>Scarecrow just breathed heavy, his terror making his heart race out of his chest. Gabriel really wasn’t here anymore. They took him. Though Scarecrow paused, the ghost's words catching in his mind.</p><p>“W-wait…you need…Gabriel?” Scarecrow asked, confusion in his shaking voice. Why would the ghosts…<em>want</em> to possess Gabriel?</p><p>"̸W̷e̴ ̴n̴e̵e̶d̴.̵.̵.̵t̷h̸e̴ ̷m̷e̴d̵i̴u̵m̶.̷.̴.̴"̸</p><p>“The…medium…” Scarecrow whispered, his eyes widening when it hit him. Aaron. Who could see spirits. Ghosts were after him <em>again</em>. <em>Worse</em> ghosts. Dangerous ghosts. Scarecrow looked behind him, eying the stairwell where he heard Aaron’s scream.</p><p>They could <em>kill</em> him…</p><p>Scarecrow turned back to Gabriel, the man breathing slow and labored as he stood still before him, his eyes miles away and somewhat cloudy. The ghosts were trying to stop Scarecrow from saving Aaron. They had him, and were going to do something horrible to him. Something they didn’t want to be stopped.</p><p>But Scarecrow couldn’t let them get away with it.</p><p>“Alright, Gabe, time to wake up!” Scarecrow yelled firmly, pushing down some guilt as he sent a hard slap to Gabriel’s face, hoping to break him free.</p><p>Scarecrow’s heart dropped when Gabriel just looked away then slowly looked back, the man not even flinching. His grip was still tight around Scarecrow's wrist and his eyes were still cloudy and dazed, his eyes looking more white than normal now.</p><p>“Gabe, come <em>on</em>, we need to save Aaron!”</p><p><em>"̴N̶O̴!̵!̸!̸"̵</em> Gabriel screamed loudly; the voices layered in his own now completely louder than his as his body gave a jerk, his expression now uncharacteristically angry. He remained before Scarecrow, standing still as stone, his eyes miles away and glazed over with the cloudy ghostlike wisps.</p><p>Scarecrow felt warm tears want to form in his eyes at the sight. They had a tight grip on Gabriel’s mind. His friend couldn’t hear him at all. And he <em>wasn’t</em> going to let Scarecrow leave.</p><p>Scarecrow had to try something else.</p><p>The man looked around, not sure what to do to help his friend. He looked Gabriel over, and his eyes widened when they landed on Gabriel’s satchel which was still over his shoulder.</p><p>Scarecrow smiled wickedly.</p><p>“Alright, you guys want to possess my friend? You all are some of the <em>stupidest</em> idiots this side of the afterlife…” Scarecrow said brightly, quickly reaching into Gabriel’s bag. He grabbed his bottle of holy water and smiled wider. “Let’s see if you all can die <em>twice</em>…” He sneered, using his teeth to pull the top off the bottle.</p><p>With a hearty laugh, he dumped the bottle on Gabriel’s head, hoping his friend’s methods worked here. He smiled triumphantly when he heard the voices scream through Gabriel, the man releasing Scarecrow immediately as the water touched him.</p><p>“H-holy fuck…” Scarecrow muttered in fright, his eyes wide when Gabriel kept screaming in agony, and Scarecrow could see some white smoke begin to rise off his friend, as if the water were burning him. Scarecrow felt guilt quickly stab his heart like a jagged dagger at the anguish in Gabriel's distorted voice.</p><p>He hated hearing Gabriel be in pain...</p><p>Gabriel staggered back, his hands gripping his head tightly as the voices screamed through him in pained agony, the smoke hissing loudly in the silent lobby.</p><p>The younger man was gasping for air between screams, and Scarecrow saw tears sliding down Gabriel's face as the ghostly voices began fading, with his own voice finally coming back. Gabriel finally stopped staggering back, though Scarecrow saw his legs waver and nearly give way.</p><p>“Gabe!” Scarecrow yelled in fright, running forward when he heard the voices finally stop screaming, and he saw Gabriel waver dizzily on his feet, nearly collapsing as the smoke faded and the hissing of the burning stopped. Scarecrow held Gabriel tight, the younger man now limp and unconscious in his arms. “Here, Gabe…here…” Scarecrow whispered, laying his friend down on the dusty ground, his friend's breathing quick.</p><p>But he was alright. The holy water worked. It burned the ghosts away, but Scarecrow saw...Gabriel wasn't hurt. He had no burns from the water. Gabriel was fine.</p><p>Scarecrow looked around with wide eyes, all looking still. He hoped he scared the ghosts off. They <em>had</em> to save to Aaron.</p><p>“Gabe, come on…” Scarecrow muttered fearfully, shaking his lifeless friend a bit, though Gabriel didn’t respond, his head lolling to the side slightly. His breathing was slow and quiet, and his face looked pale. He was totally drained.</p><p>Scarecrow let out a frustrated cry, the man staggering to his feet. He needed to save Aaron, but he couldn’t leave Gabriel here at the hands of the ghosts. He froze, a shiver going down his spine as the temperature dropped around him. He looked around with alert eyes, his nerves starting to climb when he saw the dust particles in his phone light shift slightly, as if someone had walked close behind him.</p><p>'…g̸o̵.̶.̵.̷a̷w̸a̸y̶.̵.̸.̸’</p><p>The man let out a soundless scream when he felt an ice-cold hand grab his throat, the cold unlike anything he had felt before. It felt like it was reaching his very soul, his entire body going numb. He looked around but saw no-one there before him. Just dim nothingness. He threw a hand up to fight the thing choking him off, but he felt nothing.</p><p>‘…d̴ie̴.̵.̷.̵.̵’</p><p>Scarecrow jerked when he heard a voice right by his ear, though he saw nothing. He swiped once more, but he just felt air. He couldn’t touch what was killing him. Scarecrow let out a strained cough, his world starting to go hazy as the cold cut off his air, making it impossible to breathe.</p><p>His vision failing him, he felt a frozen tear escape his eye as he felt himself begin to drift. He closed his eyes, guilt suffocating him worse than the cold.</p><p>He wasn't strong enough. He couldn't protect the others. He had failed his family...</p><p>~</p><p>Aaron was thrown forward, the man coughing as he landed hard on his face on dusty concrete floor. He blinked his eyes open and glanced up. He was in an empty store room it seemed, somewhat ancient. There was no furniture here, there were no pipes, and he saw no tools or anything.</p><p>It was just an empty stone room, with old gray stone brick walls with a few holes in them, the holes leading to pitch blackness. There were spider webs in the corners of the ceiling, and he saw small rocks and debris lining the dusty stone floor. The only light was coming from something before him.</p><p>He squinted, the room illuminated in an eerie blue glow, like the lamps before. He saw a small puddle on the ground in the far corner of the large room, though instead of water, it was…pure light, the light blue color contrasting greatly against the dusty gray stones around him.</p><p>He didn’t want to know what that was.</p><p>He quickly pulled himself to his feet, his mind reeling. He had to get out of here. He left Enty behind. He hadn’t even <em>seen</em> Gabriel or Scarecrow. Aaron didn’t care what happened to himself, but he <em>had</em> to make sure his friends were safe.</p><p>He ran to the wood door, though his heart dropped when he saw it was locked tight.</p><p>“G-GUYS!!!” Aaron yelled, banging on the door.</p><p>
  <em>“Aaron?!”</em>
</p><p>Aaron’s eyes widened, a spark of hope igniting in his chest. He heard Enty.</p><p>“ENTY!!! ENTY, I’M HERE!!!” Aaron yelled, not wanting to waste time. Whatever these ghosts had planned, he would see soon enough. They had to escape.</p><p><em>“Aaron, the door is stuck!”</em> Enty cried, the man banging on the door as well.</p><p>“You need to find a key! Or…or break it, or-” Aaron froze, the temperature in the room dropping fast.</p><p><em>“Aaron, what's going on?!" </em>Enty screamed, his voice muffled through the thick wooden cellar door.</p><p>“Enty…you need to hurry…” Aaron said fearfully, his breathing picking up as he turned around.</p><p>The glowing puddle of blue light in the corner was growing larger, and Aaron could see what looked like ghost-like decayed and skeletal hands clawing their way out of it as it grew.</p><p>“Oh…fuck…” Aaron whispered brokenly, the ghost hands straining to reach towards him.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Lucky Gabe is always prepared.</p><p>Though he's out of holy water now...</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. I'll Be Gone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Aaron makes a choice.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Enty was banging on the door, terror suffocating him when he heard how afraid Aaron was.</p><p>“Aaron, what’s <em>happening</em>?!” Enty cried, tears in his eyes as he looked around. There was no key. The thick door wasn’t budging. Aaron was trapped.</p><p>
  <em>“It uh…it seems the ghosts from my world have formed a portal of sorts from the spirit world…and, uh…I do believe they fully intend on taking me back with them…through it…”</em>
</p><p>“But that’ll kill you!” Enty cried, knowing the spirit world was just another term for death.</p><p>
  <em>“Y-yeah, it…it w-AHH!!!”</em>
</p><p>Enty flinched with a cry, with Aaron’s pained scream echoing down the decrepit halls.</p><p>“AARON?!” Enty yelled, banging on the door once more. He felt more tears form in his eyes when he heard more agonizing and scared screams from Aaron.</p><p>Enty staggered back, his shadows flaring fully as he held his arms against himself. They were going to <em>kill</em> Aaron. Enty closed his eyes, a fire igniting in his chest. A fire he seldom feels. He clenched his fists as the embers grew to flames.</p><p>He was <em>not</em> about to let some transparent no-life <em>jerks</em> take his family from him.</p><p>Enty gripped his head with a whimper, his flames flaring even more as the fire in his chest grew to an inferno. His body was shaking. His mind was screaming.</p><p>He <em>had</em> to save <em>Aaron</em>.</p><p>With the loudest furious scream he could manage, he ran forward at full speed, his shoulder aimed for the large door as he honed all his strength.</p><p>~</p><p>Scarecrow was sobbing, his body feeling frozen and numb as the ghostly hand clung to his throat. He felt his arms fall to his sides. He couldn’t win this one. He couldn’t fight what he couldn’t touch.</p><p>“STOP!!!”</p><p>Blinking his weary eyes open, Scarecrow looked over and saw Gabriel bolt towards him, a lit lamp in his hand. Gabriel quickly threw the burning lamp down with all he had right at Scarecrow’s feet, the fire quickly catching the lose oil and burning brighter.</p><p>“BEGONE!!! BEGONE BEGONE BEGONE!!!” Gabriel shrieked, holding his small bible out in front of him as the fire between him and Scarecrow grew.</p><p>Scarecrow let out a strained cough, his body losing feeling as the force holding his neck vanished, a faint ghostly scream echoing in the dark distant halls. Gabriel’s eyes widened and he ran forward, grabbing Scarecrow tight as he supported him.</p><p>“C-CROW?!” Gabriel cried, tears in his eyes as he held his shivering friend against him. He blinked in confusion when he heard Scarecrow laugh, the man still shaking.</p><p>“Good to…have you back…”</p><p>“Where…did I go?” Gabriel asked, his mind blank. He remembered Scarecrow leading him to the door, and then he blinked and he was on the floor, a ghost attacking Scarecrow before him.</p><p>“Don’t…don’t worry about it yet…” Scarecrow said tiredly, pushing himself up as he used Gabriel for support. He eyed the fire on the ground, the lamp starting to diminish. “Fire…nice goin’, Gabe…” Scarecrow said, pride in his voice. Gabriel smiled calmly, watching as Scarecrow steadied himself and stood alone.</p><p>“Learned from the best…”</p><p>Scarecrow gave a small laugh then shook his head, his vision clearing. He would feel pain later. He had a friend to save <em>now</em>.</p><p>“Come on…Aaron needs us…” Scarecrow said, firmly, once again taking Gabriel by his hand. Gabriel nodded with a confident smile and let Scarecrow lead him. They entered the stairwell, though both their eyes widened when they saw the gold light was almost gone, the carpet was missing, revealing broken wood floorboards and grime along the corners, and peeling gray wallpaper, with chipped holes in the deteriorating walls.</p><p>“What…” Gabriel said fearfully, the room decaying almost before their eyes.</p><p>“The illusion is fading…” Scarecrow muttered, his own terror taking hold. This entire place was a lie. A trap. A trap made for them. Or…for Aaron. “Come on!” Scarecrow yelled, guiding Gabriel down the stairs towards the cold and dark basement.</p><p>They had a friend to save.</p><p>~</p><p>Aaron fell to the floor with a thud and a cry, his leg screaming in icy pain. He looked down and saw a long ribbon of blue light was coming from the portal, the tendril wrapped tightly around his leg. His face paling, he tried to kick it away, though his leg went right through it. He couldn’t touch it.</p><p>He screamed in pain again when another tendril wrapped around his other leg, the ribbons of light slithering on the gray stone floor like snakes towards him. He looked up through tears when he saw more tendrils escape the portal, all moving towards him.</p><p>He turned in blinding terror and reached up to the door handle, though he let out an airy cry when he was yanked roughly away, his face slamming onto the ground. He turned with dazed eyes and saw the light was dragging him towards the portal.</p><p>They were taking him to the spirit world.</p><p>“No, no, no, NO!!!” Aaron cried through tears, not accepting that this was the end. He used his fingers to claw his way back towards the door, and he was able to pull away a bit before he screamed again in agony, another tendril wrapping tightly around his leg, the extreme cold searing his skin like blazing fire. “H-HELP!!!” Aaron screamed shamelessly, tears streaming from his eyes as he turned and watched the ghostly and skeletal hands reach out of the portal.</p><p>Reaching for him.</p><p>He let out a sob and tried again to pull himself along the floor away from the light, though the light was stronger. A broken and fearful scream escaped him as he felt another tendril wrap around his arm, the cold burning like a hot iron forced onto his skin. He looked down through his sobs and clung to the uneven stone floor with all he had.</p><p>“Please…I don’t want to die…<em>please</em>…” He cried softly, not sure if he’d make it out of this one. He let out another sob when he felt the tendrils yank him closer to the light once more, the ribbons dragging his body across the dusty ground.</p><p>He couldn’t hold on…</p><p>~</p><p>Enty rammed into the door, the wooden panel flying off it’s hinges as it clattered to the floor across the large room. Enty stood in shock in the doorway, his mind going silent.</p><p>He saw a large light blue swirling portal to the far corner of the old stone room, with tendrils of light and ghostly arms reaching out of it. And a good number of those tendrils were wrapped around Aaron, the man sobbing on the floor in the middle of the room. He had the ribbons of light wrapped around his legs and chest, and Enty could see they were dragging him closer to the portal.</p><p>He could hear distant pained screams coming from the light on the floor, but his mind was stuck on Aaron’s own terrified screams, the man using clawed hands on the ground to try and stop himself from being pulled into the glowing abyss.</p><p>Enty stood back in paralyzing fear, the image before him overlapping with an old nightmare of his. Or maybe it was real…Enty was never sure…</p><p>~</p><p>
  <em>Enty was standing in the middle of an abandoned stone ruin of a house, with a full moon shining through a large hole in the old ceiling. He looked beside him and rubbed his arms. His flames were gone. They sometimes were in his dreams. Not always, but…sometimes…</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He walked towards the middle of the room, now noticing odd sigils on the ground in an odd language. He smiled and spun in a circle under the bright full glowing moon, not a care in the world. He looked up and saw the moon was now directly above him, though once it was, he felt a pang of…hurt stab his heart. A pang of anxiety. He looked around in confusion, but he saw no danger. Just dim moon glow on the stone ground around him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>~</em>
</p><p>Enty stood still before Aaron, though his friend’s screams were fading as Enty’s own old screams replaced them, his memory drowning what was before him. He reached over and rubbed his left arm, his flames flaring wildly.</p><p>~</p><p>
  <em>He screamed in agony, blazing heat and suffocating cold simultaneously burning his left half as Enty fell to his knees, tears streaming from his eyes. Once the moon reached the center of the ceiling, an agonizing pain erupted under his skin, the burning unbearable. He glanced over among the pain and saw black fire begin seeping out of his skin, the icy burning getting worse and worse. His mouth was open in a silent scream at the agony tearing him apart.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>~</em>
</p><p>Enty trembled in place, all the sounds around him muffling as he felt a broken memory return to him once more. A circle. On the ground. Followed by so much pain…</p><p>~</p><p>
  <em>Enty fell forward, the unbearable searing pain on his left side making him want to throw up. He trembled and shook, his tears not stopping as he kneeled in the center of the circle. He was gasping for air, the pain making him wish he were dead.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>His eyes widened when the sigils on the ground began glowing, with some of them even raising off the ground. He strained his blurry vison to look at them, though it only lasted a moment when the ground fell away beneath him. He looked down and saw the circle cave in, a pure darkness forming beneath it as the ground caved into the abyss.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>Enty clung to the edge of the circle, his feet kicking aimlessly as he had nothing to give himself support. He tried to use his arms, though his eyes widened when a giant shadowy vapor rose from the circle, the shadows taking the form of a hand as it hovered above him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He let out a strained scream when the hand slammed down, its pressure making it hard to breathe as his vision became enveloped in the dark clouds. He cried out for help that wasn’t coming and felt himself break.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>He let go of the edge, the shadows wrapping around him and dragging him into the darkness. He saw all light fade as he free-fell into nothingness, his mind going silent as the darkness crushed him.</em>
</p><p>
  <em>~</em>
</p><p>Scarecrow led Gabriel down the hall, his eyes widening in horror when he heard Aaron’s anguished screams.</p><p>“HOLY FUCKING <em>FUCK!!!”</em> Scarecrow shrieked, his face paling when he saw the large stone room before him. He saw a giant blue portal on the floor in the corner, with ribbons of blue light stemming from it, with all of them aiming for Aaron.</p><p>Aaron was on the ground, sobbing in pain as he used his one free hand to cling to the rough stones on the ground, and Scarecrow saw the light was pulling Aaron towards it. He had the tendrils of light wrapped around his legs, his waist and chest, and some on his arms like rope, the light covering more and more of him.</p><p>And he was almost at the edge of the portal.</p><p>“C-COME ON!!!” Scarecrow screamed, running with Gabriel past a full shadow Enty who was just standing there in frozen terror.</p><p>“Aaron!” Gabriel cried, grabbing his arm as tight as he could. Aaron didn’t respond and kept sobbing, his breath hitching in his throat.</p><p>“ENTY, HELP US YOU IDIOT!!!” Scarecrow screamed, stomping on the blue lights hoping to break them, though his foot went right through them. They couldn’t touch these either.</p><p>Enty just stood back, his body shaking. He didn’t speak. He didn’t move.</p><p>“FUCK!!!” Scarecrow screamed, moving to help Gabriel pull. “WE’RE GETTING YOU OUT OF HERE, CLOCKWORK!!!” He screamed, pulling as hard has he could on Aaron's arm. He felt them stop the light’s own pull, but then he saw more light tendrils wrap around Aaron’s legs tightly. He saw even more coming from the portal, slithering across the ground towards their friend.</p><p>They were outnumbered. They weren’t strong enough to fight this.</p><p>“ENTY!!!” Scarecrow cried, not sure what else to do besides pull with all he had.</p><p>“Crow, w-AH!!!” Gabriel cried, and Scarecrow watched in terror as black shadows appeared from behind them, with the tendrils from those wrapping firmly around Gabriel’s chest and arms, yanking him backwards.</p><p>“GABE!!!” Scarecrow screamed, not letting go of Aaron. He watched through tears as Gabriel was yanked back and held against the back wall, the man struggling to break free from the shadowy human-like figures holding him back, their shadows wrapping around him, almost blocking him from view. He was fighting back, but he couldn’t touch them. He couldn’t get out. Scarecrow turned back to Aaron, and for a moment their gazes locked.</p><p>“Crow…just r-run…” Aaron whispered, his body losing more and more feeling as the cold took over. “I can’t lose you all…”</p><p>“And <em>we</em> can’t lose <em>you!</em> So, shut up and let me p-GAH!!!” Scarecrow screamed, and he felt strong shadowy arms wrap around him, yanking him away from Aaron against his will.</p><p>He fought with all he had; his hand outstretched towards Aaron’s who was doing the same back, though they couldn’t reach each other. Scarecrow felt tears stream from his eyes as he was held beside Gabriel, the younger man sobbing as he thrashed in place.</p><p>“AARON, NO!!! L-LET US GO!!!” Scarecrow screamed with all he had, watching through teary vision as the blue light dragged Aaron closer and closer to the portal, his feet almost touching the edge. “LET US G-” Scarecrow started, but was cut off as a shadowy hand covered his mouth and nose, making it impossible to speak and hard to breath. The shadows were wrapped around his legs, arms, and chest, the tightness getting worse as they constricted around him. He felt the ghosts strangle him tighter, a few shadows circling tightly around his throat. He was downright gasping for air, as he felt like he was being suffocated.</p><p>Scarecrow’s eyes widened when he saw Gabriel thrash hopelessly beside him, the younger man’s mouth and nose covered as well. He couldn’t move at all, and he wasn’t struggling to just escape at this point. He was struggling to live. He was sobbing in fear, and Scarecrow could hear Gabriel’s terrified muffled screams as he tried and failed to free himself. He couldn't escape either. Neither of them could. The ghosts were going to kill them both.</p><p>Feeling himself break knowing this may be it for them, Scarecrow strained his free hand and reached down to Gabriel’s, fighting against the shadows and taking his friend’s hand in his own, holding it tight.</p><p>Gabriel froze and glanced beside him, tears in his eyes as he met Scarecrow’s reassuring gaze as a dizziness filled his vison. Scarecrow had stopped fighting. They couldn’t get out of this one. Getting in what air he could, Gabriel closed his eyes and gripped Scarecrow’s hand back as tight as he could, taking in the last comfort of his family.</p><p>They were all going to die here. But at least they were going together.</p><p>~</p><p>Enty stood back, the sounds of the world crashing down on him at once. He shook his head as his mind cleared, his wide eyes landing on Scarecrow and Gabriel who were held in the back, both being suffocated by the shadows restraining them. He looked to the other side and saw Aaron reach the portal, his feet now over it as he clung to the ground with all he had. The man was terrified and sobbing.</p><p>Enty had seen this before. Or…something similar. In his nightmare…that is like what did this to him. That is what made him who he is now. It erased his memories and it made him a monster.</p><p>And…it could do the same to Aaron…</p><p>They would lose Aaron. Forever. There was no cure for this, at least…none that Enty had ever seen. If this happened to Aaron…he’d be dead for good. He’d forget everything and become inhuman just like Enty. Aaron Blackwell would be no more.</p><p>He’d <em>never</em> come back.</p><p>Enty felt his flames flare wider, the fire in his chest overtaking all his senses in an instant. He <em>couldn’t</em> let his family die here. He refused. He <em>could</em> save them.</p><p>Because it didn't matter what these ghosts are or were, how many there were, or how strong they were. Because Enty knew one thing was certain.</p><p>Enty knew he was <em>stronger</em>.</p><p>~</p><p>Aaron looked ahead through tearful vision, his heart shattering in his chest. He saw Enty frozen solid by the door, and he saw Scarecrow and Gabriel be attacked by more ghosts, the shadows strangling and suffocating them to death. These spirits were going to kill them all.</p><p>Aaron…had failed. He failed his family.</p><p>And for that…he deserved whatever fate resided for him on the other side of this portal.</p><p>Feeling the tendrils of freezing light wrap tightly around him like blazing rope, he knew there was no escape. He just had one hope left. One hope that…if he let the ghosts take him…if he surrendered…they’d let his family go. It was the only choice he had left. And he knew what he had to do.</p><p>Aaron felt his tears freeze in his eyes as he felt the ground vanish beneath his feet. He felt cold skeletal hands grab his ankles and hold him tight, the dead arms pulling him down. He felt more of them clawing away at him, their dead hands cutting deep into his soul like jagged frozen knives. He was being dragged into the spirit world once and for all. They had him and he couldn't escape.</p><p>He could feel the cold eternal abyss below him, the ice suffocating as he lost feeling in his legs, the ghostly hands now clinging to his shirt as they pulled him closer. He felt the hands grab his arms, the touch agonizing and frigid. His cold fingers clung to the stony ground as tight as he could, though his legs were already in the portal with the ghosts holding him tight.</p><p>Nothing could save him now. He had to go through with his only option.</p><p>He prayed his family made it out alive.</p><p>With one last frozen breath, he closed his eyes and slowly let his fingers relax, his mind silencing itself as he succumbed to the cold.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>They want Aaron~</p><p>Wonder why...</p><p>THINGS:<br/>-Ghost hunting duo Crow/Gab is new dream team<br/>-The gang is starting to see through the illusion...<br/>-Being sucked into the spirit world is painful.<br/>-For the shadows attacking Gab n Crow, you could say it's the ghosts literally suffocating the life out of them ahhahahah fun times.<br/>-They really should have let Gabe use his holy stuff and make sure the hotel wasn't cursed at the start. </p><p> </p><p>Enty's nightmare sequence is in reference to my good friend's sister fic series that most are canon to this AU. What does it mean? Why knows...Enty sure doesn't...</p><p>See this for the original fic: https://www.wattpad.com/949291076-this-is-for-cracktasia-dragged-away</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. By Your Side</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Enty takes a stand.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>“NO!!!”</em>
</p><p>Aaron’s cold eyes flew open and he looked up, eying a full shadow Enty who was towering above him, both his hands tight on Aaron’s wrists. Before Aaron could even say anything, Enty yanked him up with unseen strength, the breath getting knocked out of him as he was immediately pulled out of the portal. He could feel his body slip out of the ghostly hand's grasps as Enty pulled him away.</p><p><em>“NO NO NO NO NO NO!!!”</em> Enty shrieked, his shadows flaring wilder than Aaron had ever seen them before. He just stared with wide eyes as Enty kept stepping back, the portal’s strength no match for Enty. Aaron glanced back in shock and saw the light fade from around his body as Enty pulled him away, the dead hands in the portal straining to reach him with echoed screams, though he was too far away to be reached. He felt like he could breathe again. He felt the suffocating cold fade from around his chest.</p><p>Enty was doing it.</p><p>Before he knew it, he was lying face down on the dusty ground, and he was free. The cold was gone. He propped himself up on shaking arms and looked over with wide eyes to behind him as feeling returned to his body. He saw more tendrils of blue light quickly move towards him like snakes, though Enty ran forward and stood before them, screaming as loud as he could as his shadows flared.</p><p>Aaron watched in speechless shock as Enty shrieked, the lights on the floor retreating back to the portal, not daring go near the flaming man.</p><p>“Enty…” Aaron whispered to himself, not having any idea what this side of Enty was. Once the lights from the portal had receded, Enty bolted to the back of the room, running up to both Scarecrow and Gabriel who were held back and restrained by the black shadows.</p><p>“LEAVE US <em>ALONE!!!”</em> Enty screamed, grabbing both his friend’s shirt collars as he yanked them away from the ghosts with all he had. Once Enty’s flames touched the spirits, they evaporated, the shadows vanishing with distant echoed screams as his friends collapsed limply into Enty’s arms.</p><p>Scarecrow and Gabriel were both coughing roughly and clinging to Enty, the two able to breathe again as Enty held them up in his grasp. Gabriel blinked his tearful eyes open and glanced beside him, meeting Scarecrow's equally confused and shocked gaze.</p><p>“RUN!!!” Enty screamed, yanking Aaron up as well by the back of his shirt with effortless ease. Aaron staggered up and nearly tripped as Enty dragged all three of his disoriented friends down the stone hall towards the stairs, not looking back as he held on to all three. They could hear the ghostly screams behind them get louder, but Enty didn’t care. He was <em>faster</em>.</p><p>They ran up and Aaron’s eyes widened when he saw the lobby. The rotting wood ceiling was caved in and had vines and other plants growing in it and down the grimy walls, with graffiti lining the old stones where ornate wallpaper used to reside.</p><p>All the glass windows were busted out, with some glass littering the floor below the frames. The front desk had holes all around it, the thing covered in plants and splintered wood. Spiderwebs were everywhere, and the air was dusty and murky. The paintings were gone, the furniture was trashed in the corner in a pile of wood and stuffing, and the ground was no longer a red carpet, but concrete, with dirt, leaves, mud, trash, glass, and debris littering the entire area.</p><p>The place was downright demolished.</p><p>Enty didn’t stop for anything as he led his friends quickly out of the hotel, his grip on them tight and unrelenting. Aaron felt some hope shine through when he saw dawn’s light was breaking through the trees, the world around them finally becoming visible. He could see color. He could see the morning sky. He could see freedom.</p><p>The group ran outside, the rain stopped completely as a cool green forest’s air blew around them, the air clearing as they ran. Gabriel eyed the porch and saw it was hardly existent, with the wood broken and hanging low, holes in the roof, and the front of the house rotted away by time and the elements.</p><p>The group ran down the sidewalk and finally reached the street and pure fresh air, with Enty finally stopping his running.</p><p>“Enty, good god!” Aaron cried in shock, eying Enty as the shaking man fell to his knees, his breathing heavy as his shadows flared wildly still. He had done it.</p><p>He got his family to safety.</p><p>“Oh…Jesus <em>fuck</em>…” Scarecrow whispered, his gaze landing on the hotel. The rest of the group turned and eyed it, with nausea striking each of them at once.</p><p>The building was…completely abandoned. Almost every window was busted out and dark, the blackened and aged brick walls half demolished and cracked, with large holes in them. The chimneys at the top were crumbling away, and the balconies were hanging off in decay below the dead windows, the wood long broken and rotted away as vines covered them, probably the only thing holding them together.</p><p>There were more thick leafy vines growing all around the building, and large trees and hedges covering the sides, making the building look almost buried in nature. The windows on the front led into pitch blackness, and the group saw the roof itself had gaping holes in it, with the wood caving in from the rot.</p><p>There wasn’t a single sign of life there. It looked like it had been abandoned for years.</p><p>“P-Pater noster, qui es in caelis…sanctificetur nomen t-tuum…” Gabriel muttered under his breath, his hand holding his cross necklace in terror at the sight. He staggered back, his mind screaming in terror. They had been in a demon's realm...</p><p>“Oh…god…” Aaron said, clutching his stomach. He had caught on to the illusion, but…he didn’t know…it was <em>that</em> bad…</p><p>“Oh…oh, I don’t feel well…” Scarecrow muttered brokenly, his voice strained. He sat himself weakly down on the damp ground as he gripped his stomach. They had been walking and <em>sleeping</em> in <em>that</em>. He…he fell in the <em>pool</em>…</p><p>Gabriel ran over to his friend while he continued to mutter prayer, the shaking man hunched over on the ground now trembling as Gabriel rubbed his hand on his back in an effort to calm him. Scarecrow's breathing was getting labored as his face became flushed, the weight of the situation making his vision spin. He shivered, with the feeling of being sick now rising in his churning stomach.</p><p>Gabriel just kept muttering prayer rapidly, his hand on his friend's back as Scarecrow breathed deep and focused breaths.</p><p>Aaron turned away, his gaze stuck on the abandoned building as a pastel blue and purple sky rose above it, hardly a cloud to be seen. They had <em>no</em> idea. It was all a trick. And it was his fault…</p><p>“Oh, god, guys…I’m…I’m so <em>sorry</em>…” Aaron groaned, the man gripping his hair in suffocating guilt.</p><p>“Aaron, what…” Gabriel said, his voice shaking as he kept his hand on Scarecrow’s back, the man still hunched over and trembling, trying so hard not to get sick.</p><p>“Th-those were ghosts from my world…they were after <em>me</em>…oh, it all makes <em>sense</em>…” He muttered as he began pacing. “The Victorian stylings, the way they were trying to get you all out of the way, oh GOD he even knew my name!!!” Aaron yelled, slapping his face as the memory returned to him.</p><p>The manager had known his name when Aaron hadn’t told him. And Aaron didn’t think anything of it.</p><p>“Oh, how could I be so <em>stupid?!”</em> He cried, gripping his hair. He flinched when he felt someone hug him, and he looked over and saw it was Enty, the man still full shadow as he held him tight.</p><p>“N-not…your fault…” Enty muttered, his voice shaking worse than his body was as he held Aaron close. “Just glad…we’re all ok…” He said softly, his tears not stopping.</p><p>Aaron froze a moment then nodded in agreement, hugging Enty back as he hid his face in his shoulder. They had made it out alive. They were all <em>alive</em>.</p><p>“Hey, are you boys-”</p><p><em>“AHHHHH!!!”</em> The group all screamed at once in fright, with Enty’s shadows flaring wildly at the sound of a voice beside them, though the voice screamed as well.</p><p>Aaron gripped Enty tighter in fear, though he realized…it was just a cop. A state trooper. Aaron blinked, and he could see the man’s silver car down the road a bit.</p><p>“Boys, please, I’m not gonna hurt ya!” The man said, holding his hands up when he saw the petrified faces on the…odd group before him.</p><p>“W-wait…who are you?” Aaron said, putting himself before the still shaking Enty.</p><p>“My name is Officer Brink, I’m from the town up ahead…I got a call saying someone saw a car abandoned on the road here, and I came to investigate…we try to not let people in the abandoned hotel, it’s a bit of a hazard…” He said, eying the structure.</p><p>Gabriel turned and saw their car behind them. Someone had seen their car.</p><p>“We…we ran out of gas last night…we didn’t have cell service…” Aaron said, trying to keep the tremor in his voice down.</p><p>“Oh, you boys were sleeping in your car during that storm? All the way out here?” The officer said, sympathy in his voice.</p><p>“Y-yeah…we were…” Aaron muttered, his gaze drifting back to the hotel.</p><p>“Hell of a place to break down, wow…well, I don’t have any gas with me, but I can give you all a lift to town to pick some up, how’s that?” He said, taking a step towards his car.</p><p>The group all looked at each other in shock, with Scarecrow finally shakily lifting his pale and grime covered face up as he tuned in.</p><p>“Oh, you don’t look good at all, fella…” The cop said, eying Scarecrow who was still somewhat wet and shaking on the ground, his hair matted with gunk and his face flushed and muddy.</p><p>Aaron blinked, now realizing for the first time how dirty and drenched Scarecrow looked. What...had happened?</p><p>“Fell in…puddle…” Scarecrow lied quietly, his hand going back to his stomach as he turned away to focus on his breathing. He couldn’t shake his sick feeling. He didn’t want to think about what their room had looked like or what they had <em>slept</em> on…</p><p>“Well, I do have a blanket for you, if you want it to help dry off.” The cop said with a smile. “And some medicine if you’re feeling unwell…”</p><p>“Th-thank you…so much…” Aaron said, walking to follow the cop, with Enty not letting go of his hand once. Gabriel helped Scarecrow stand and he supported him as they walked, with Scarecrow clutching his stomach the entire time.</p><p>He should be thankful he didn’t ask to eat anything there…</p><p>“Town is just a short drive that way. Must say, it was some bad luck. You were so close to the town.” The cop said, starting the car as the group filed in.</p><p>“Yeah…bad luck…” Aaron repeated, his gaze going back to the hotel again.</p><p>He looked back and saw Gabriel had his arm around Scarecrow, the man still pale as he held the blanket given to him around his shoulders. His head was leaned back against the seat and Aaron could tell Scarecrow was focusing hard on his slow breathing to keep himself from getting sick.</p><p>Aaron...didn't like the sight. What had his friends been through?</p><p>“Uh…s-sir?” Aaron asked, glancing at the cop as they drove down the now…pretty and serene looking summer woodland roads.</p><p>“Yes, what is it?”</p><p>“What’s the uh…story of that abandoned hotel, back there?”</p><p>“Oh, nothing too crazy, if it had you worried. We get ghost hunters coming around to do ‘investigations’ but all they leave with are tetanus shots…”</p><p>“Why…is it there, though? What happened?”</p><p>“Like I said, nothin’ much. Place belonged to some entrepreneurs in the 50’s, though the location was horrid, as no one wanted to drive on the long back roads. They just couldn’t keep the upkeep, so they sold it off. No one ever did anything with it, and the deed was lost, so it was just left to rot out.” The cop said calmly. “And no, no deaths were ever reported there, and I’ve been in there myself many times for calls. I’ve never seen any ghosts, so…don’t let that place spook ya.”</p><p>“We…we won’t…” Aaron muttered, a new terror arising in his chest. The cop…was right. It wasn’t the building that was the scary part. Those ghosts…weren’t tied to it.</p><p>They were tied to <em>Aaron</em>. And that means…they could come back. Anywhere. Any time.</p><p>Aaron gripped his own stomach, doing his best to keep calm. This entire trip was a nightmare. And…they could try to forget it, but…he knew they couldn’t. This one would haunt them…for a <em>long</em> time.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>HERO ENTY</p><p>THINGS:<br/>-Crow is mostly unnerved that they were walking and sleeping in a decaying building without knowing.<br/>-Gabe is most shaken by the ghosts themselves.<br/>-Enty is shaken by the thought of losing his friends.<br/>-Aaron is more shaken by the idea that they ghosts are after them.<br/>-FOR THE RECORD: What happened in Enty's dream is NOT what was happening to Aaron, so no, Aaron would not have become like Enty, but in the moment, Enty didn't know that.<br/>-Who knows what kind of grime and muck the guys were walking around in and didn't see...<br/>-They better shower. A lot.<br/>-For the other record, the ghosts COULD manipulate the illusion physically (Enty feeling a smooth railing instead of a broken splintered one, them not stepping on debris, etc.) BUT things did break through.<br/>-Gab felt some rain, Enty's splinter, the drafts coming from nowhere...<br/>-Ghosts ain't perfect. And they ain't all powerful, either...</p><p>Also hotel vibes Heavily inspired by the horror game "At Dead of Night" and some "The Shining" vibes as well, even though I've never seen the full movie rip.</p><p>FOR VISUAL REFERENCE BC I USED THEM and I hate myself bc these are legit things that creep me out but I'm also here to make YOU all suffer, take these:<br/>-The hotel: https://static2.thetravelimages.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/deserted-mansion-5.png</p><p>-The pool look: https://i.pinimg.com/originals/0b/bc/76/0bbc7692692a3e9c41926f27232c6b1e.jpg</p><p>-The Basement: https://i0.wp.com/hammersnhugs.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/null65.jpeg?zoom=1.6000001430511475&amp;resize=617%2C462&amp;ssl=1</p><p>These aren't exact of course, the basement was way bigger, and other things, but these are for the vibe. Suffer :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Days Long Gone</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The guys do a full disclosure, recover, and get cleaned up.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Gabriel kept close to Scarecrow, the group entering the hotel they had planned to go to in the first place. They were in the middle of town, there was a busy road outside, and there were tons of people and electric lights all around them.</p><p>The group checked in and used the lit elevator to get to their room. They walked in, eying the modern décor and modern electricity and modern atmosphere. Aaron opened the curtains and saw the busy road outside, with tons of people walking the sidewalks.</p><p>This was right.</p><p>They had brought their stuff in, and Aaron was glad they didn’t leave anything at the old hotel. They’d <em>never</em> have to go back.</p><p>Aaron sighed and turned, watching Scarecrow quickly walk towards the bathroom without a word, though nothing needed to be said when Aaron heard the shower start. They’d all need one. Long ones.</p><p>Enty sat on the edge of the bed, and Aaron had to say…he was a bit worried. Enty had hardly spoken at all, and only just now were his shadows receding a bit. He was extremely shaken. They all were, but…Enty was different. And Aaron couldn’t say why. From what he heard…Enty hadn’t seen any scary visions.</p><p>And…Aaron had an idea as to why. The ghosts had gotten Enty out of the picture early. They physically attacked him to try and stop him. The ghosts from before hated Enty’s flames, and when Aaron had been a ghost…Enty’s flames hurt him. So that made Aaron wonder…if the ghost’s powers didn’t work well on Enty at <em>all</em>. Or at least the ones where they got into his head. He <em>was</em> able to fight off the entire portal of ghosts and save them all back there…</p><p>No wonder the ghosts tried to kill him right away.</p><p>So then…what had Enty so shaken? Yes, they had been in trouble, but…Enty had saved them before many times. Even from ghosts and demons like this. Why was this time different for him…?</p><p>Aaron sighed, knowing he’d have to ask later. Enty was still crying, though it was silent. And he hadn’t let go of Aaron’s old jacket, the now tattered thing tight in his arms. Aaron shook his head, though his eyes followed Gabriel as the man began lining the windows and the bottom of the doorway with salt.</p><p>“Gabe…?” Aaron asked, though he knew what Gabriel was doing. He wasn’t taking any more chances.</p><p>“…adveniat regnum tuum…fiat voluntas tua…sicut in caelo, et in terra…” Gabriel muttered frantically as he worked, the man also placing his various crosses around the room.</p><p>Aaron sighed, sitting himself in the desk chair as he took in all that was around him. Aaron had almost died again, Gabriel was frantically salting the room, Enty was shut down, and Scarecrow was one bad thought away from being sick to his stomach.</p><p>They…were a mess.</p><p>~</p><p>Night had once again begun to fall, though they kept every light on in the room. With the city, they left the curtains open as the streetlights shone in, letting them know they’re away from that cursed desolate place. They had all showered and changed into clean clothes, and finally got something to eat, though Scarecrow still felt ill.</p><p>None of them had really talked much. Nothing…needed to be said. But, once things settled, they agreed to exchange all that had happened to each other, so nothing was held back.</p><p>“I said <em>WHAT</em> to you?!” Scarecrow screamed, his face pale as Gabriel looked away, some tears in his eyes.</p><p>“You…said you were going to kill me, and…and I was a nuisance…” Gabriel said softly, and he could hear Enty let out a whimper as he covered his mouth with his hand. Gabriel fought back tears and kept talking. “And…you said…you said you wished you had let me die in the park…” Gabriel managed, unable to say anymore as his tears took over.</p><p>Aaron sat back in shock; his eyes wide. He felt guilt strangle his throat tightly. These were his ghosts, and they had gotten into his friend’s heads. They didn’t deserve any of that…</p><p>“Well…you can bet that I’d never say any of that garbage, Gabe…” Scarecrow said, his voice small as he placed his hand on the trembling Gabriel’s knee. “None of those things were my thoughts, not even<em> close.</em> It was just the ghosts fucking with you.”</p><p>“I…I know, it just…I got…scared…” Gabriel started, more tears forming in his eyes at the thought of Scarecrow saying those things to him. The younger man let out a small cry of surprise, as scarecrow leaned closer and pulled him into a hug, holding him tight.</p><p>Aaron smiled as he watched, happy that Scarecrow was opening up a bit. It may just be the trauma, but…it was still nice to see.</p><p>“I’d never say <em>anything</em> like that Gabe…not <em>ever</em>…and you…you mean more to me than anything in my stupid life, and…that’s the truth. And it’ll never change.” Scarecrow said quietly so only Gabriel could hear him. “And running into you in that park…that was the best day of my life…”</p><p>Gabriel trembled in place, warm tears filling his eyes as he threw his head into Scarecrow’s chest, sobbing as he let Scarecrow hold him. This was right. This was real.</p><p>And Gabriel knew that this time. He knew.</p><p>Aaron sat back, his mind easing. They would all be shaken for a long time, but…they’d help each other heal. He just felt so horrible for all this. He couldn’t help but blame himself. Scarecrow had unfortunately told Gabriel that the ghosts possessed him, and Gabriel got so shaken again and took yet another shower, then prayed in the corner for an hour. It hurt Aaron to see. He knew Gabriel had a bad history with possession.</p><p>Enty was still mostly silent, only talking quietly, though his flames had finally gone back to normal. When they got here, Aaron made sure to get Enty clean bandages, and he was happy to see none of the injuries were horrid, and most had long since stopped their bleeding. Enty was still sore, but he was alright. He was alive.</p><p>Aaron smiled a bit, pride in his mind as he thought about Enty. Nothing could get him down. His physical strength was almost as strong as his optimism. He was truly a force to be reckoned with, Aaron knew. And he couldn’t be happier. Enty…saved all of them.</p><p>“Gabe, did anything else happen to you?” Aaron said, watching as Gabriel pulled away from Scarecrow and regained his composure.</p><p>“Uhm…I heard voices and…something was making me follow them…” Gabriel said, recalling his first encounter. “When I did, they made everything go dark and…I could feel the g-ghosts…all around me…they sounded mad…and were hurting me…”</p><p>“I found him acting like you did when the ghost from before tried to steal your spirit or whatever.” Scarecrow said, not wanting to think about how much pain Gabriel was in.</p><p>“They lured you down and then…got mad?” Aaron asked.</p><p>“Yeah…I think I left after Enty…”</p><p>“Hm…” Aaron muttered, running his hand through his hair. That didn’t make sense. With Scarecrow, they tried to trap him to get him out of the way. With Enty they tried to kill him to get him out of the way. The ghosts didn’t want the others interfering.</p><p>Why lure Gabriel away and get mad when he obliged?</p><p>“Oh…oh I wonder…” Aaron said, all eyes in the room landing on him. “I wonder if that lure was meant for me…” He said, more guilt filling his mind.</p><p>“You think?” Scarecrow said, not sure what Aaron was getting at.</p><p>“I do…I think that was a lure meant to get me away. They didn’t see you or Gabriel as a threat, so they just got rid of Enty then made the move to go after me.”</p><p>“But…I woke up instead…” Gabriel said, looking to the side.</p><p>“They messed up and got mad at you for it…and then when Scarecrow rescued you…they got mad at him for interfering…”</p><p>“Is that why those fuckers were screwing with the two of us?!” Scarecrow yelled in anger, his face paling. Aaron nodded, his guilt getting worse and worse.</p><p>“You two kept messing their plan to get to me up, and…they were spiteful…”</p><p>“Damn bastards…” Scarecrow grumbled, crossing his arms as he sat back in anger.</p><p>“They never intended to even kill you, but…you kept bothering them…”</p><p>“Serves em’ right…” Scarecrow sneered. He was pissed beyond belief. And…he was still petrified. He didn’t want to think about what was in the pool or what was dragging him down.</p><p>He didn’t want to think about it.</p><p>“Oh, I just wish we had seen through it all…” Gabriel said sadly, rubbing his own arms in guilt. “I felt some rain water break through the illusion, but…I didn’t think anything of it…”</p><p>“I got…a splinter…from the banister…” Enty said quietly, eying his hand. The wood looked nice, but he still got a bad splinter. But he hadn’t cared.</p><p>“Guys, it was a good illusion, none of us saw through it…” Aaron said, not wanting his friends to feel guilt like him. “I should have noticing things myself. The Victorian stylings should have been a giveaway, and he knew my name…” He said, cursing himself for not catching that before. “Oh, no wonder they had no electricity…” Aaron said, his eyes wide as the pieces came together.</p><p>“They couldn’t replicate that…” Scarecrow said as he looked up, now realizing what should have been obvious.</p><p>“That’s why the elevators didn’t work, or any of the lights…they weren’t strong enough to recreate working electricity…it was all…just a physical illusion…”</p><p>“Damn it…” Scarecrow groaned, rubbing his face with his hands as he hunched over a bit. How could they have been so stupid?!</p><p>“I’m really sorry, fellas, I…I just…” Aaron started, his own tears starting to well up in his eyes. This was all his fault…</p><p>“Clockwork, we have established, this was no one’s fault…” Scarecrow said firmly, his gaze locked on Aaron. “Not yours in any way. So stop blaming yourself or you’re gonna regret it…” He said, and Aaron smiled when he saw a trace of a teasing smile on Scarecrow’s face.</p><p>“We love you…” Enty said, and Aaron looked down in shock when Enty huddled against his arm, the flaming man crying again as he trembled.</p><p>“I blame the unholy ghosts of horror…” Gabriel said flatly with a shrug. “But…we survived.”</p><p>“The time capsule’s right, clockwork. We kicked their asses hard.” Scarecrow said firmly. “And if they decide to show their screwed-up faces around you again, we’ll make sure they die for real. They won’t get you.”</p><p>“We’re here…” Enty said softly, his eyes closed as he hugged Aaron’s arm, the man tearing up.</p><p>“Oh...f-fellas…I-GAH!!!” Aaron cried with a laugh as a pillow hit him in the face, his glasses becoming crooked. He adjusted them and saw Scarecrow laughing.</p><p>“So, like I said, cut the guilt, or there’s more where that came from.” He said, grabbing another pillow. Aaron let out a laugh and wiped his eyes with a nod.</p><p>“I understand, Scarecrow. Thank you…”</p><p>Aaron smiled, the weight of the situation beginning to lift. They were not ok, but they would be. After a lot of healing. But they’d heal together. And he knew if those ghosts came back…they’d fight back and win. Because they had each other. And nothing could stop them when they’re together.</p><p>~</p><p>It was late night now outside, and the group…really hadn’t left the hotel at all. They got food and such, but came right back. They needed time to recover and talk and think. They…may just go home after this.</p><p>Scarecrow was laying down on his side of the bed, with Gabriel close to him, both their eyes stuck on the TV. Aaron was writing in his journal, though Enty was beside him on the bed, clinging to his arm. Aaron didn’t mind.</p><p>The TV had a children’s cartoon on, though no one dared change the channel. They needed something light. Something stupid.</p><p>“We’re keeping the lights on all night, right?” Scarecrow said flatly.</p><p>“Oh yeah.”</p><p>“Yes, please…”</p><p>“Mhmm…”</p><p>“Good, good…” Scarecrow said, leaning his head back. He wasn’t going to sleep tonight. None of them were. He wasn’t really scared of ghosts before, but…but now…</p><p>Scarecrow considered himself terrified.</p><p>The man flinched when he felt someone get closer to him. He looked down and saw Gabriel sitting against his side, his head now leaning on his shoulder. Scarecrow rolled his eyes and put his arm around Gabriel, the younger man closing his eyes with a smile.</p><p>Scarecrow usually didn’t like such contact, but…he really had to make up for the words Gabriel thought he said. He wanted nothing more than to strangle the ghosts in his hands when he thought about what they made Gabriel see and hear. If they ever came back…</p><p>Scarecrow was going to make them suffer a fate worse than any hell.</p><p>He let out a breath, his nausea finally gone as he sat back in the bed, his arm around his young friend. He now knew that…Gabriel hadn’t heard what he had said to him before back by the pool. But…he couldn’t bring himself to say it now. He would, though. When he was ready.</p><p>For now, he relaxed on the soft bed, his gaze mindlessly stuck on the colorful cartoon on the TV. They had survived, and they were together. And Scarecrow couldn’t be happier.</p><p>Aaron was just mindlessly scribbling on a blank page, a thousand thoughts swarming his mind. He gripped his pencil tighter, his hand tensing as anger began replacing the guilt. How <em>cruel</em> those ghosts were. How demented. His friends shouldn’t have had to endure such nightmares. That was a trap made for Aaron. And…he got his friends tied in. </p><p>What did those ghosts want with him?! They wanted him to be dragged into the spirit world, but <em>why</em>…</p><p>The other cultist ghosts just wanted to be freed. But they had been turned into ghosts by error. These…these seemed like actual people who have passed. Why…would they want to escape…</p><p>Aaron didn’t know. And while he hated not knowing…he also didn’t <em>want</em> to know. Because that would mean he’d have to face them again. And he couldn’t do that. Not yet. Not for a long time.</p><p>None of them could.</p><p>So, Aaron sighed, letting Enty hold his arm as the man sat beside him on the bed. It was the least he could do. Enty was still so shaken. They all were. Aaron couldn’t wait to get home. No more trips for a while. Just familiarity and peace. Maybe they could do some game nights to lighten things up…</p><p>Either way, Aaron was going to keep vigilant. He couldn’t let his family get hurt by his ghosts again. He’d never forgive himself if they got hurt because of them…though, they already had…the man sighed, his mind a mess. He was proud, though. His friends were strong. They fought back and they won. And Aaron felt safe with them all. He knew he was the one really looking out for them, but…</p><p>He knew they looked out for him as well. They looked after each other. And that’s how they managed to survive all this. They had each other. And Aaron couldn’t be more proud of the family he found.</p><p>Beside him, Enty just stared ahead blankly, his gaze on the TV though he wasn’t watching it. His mind was stuck…on his past. He knew nothing of his past, but…he dreamed of that horrid moment so often. And he wondered…if that is when he became who he was today.</p><p>He didn’t know for sure, but…it was likely. But he didn’t remember why he had gone to that place, or who he was before. He was always just…himself in his dreams. Even without his flames. He was just…Enty.</p><p>And…after pondering the dream…Enty knew that what was happening to Aaron <em>wasn’t</em> what happened to Enty. It couldn’t be. It was…different. But still…Enty became afraid. No matter the outcome…they would have almost lost Aaron forever.</p><p>And Enty couldn’t stand it. Hell, Gabriel and Scarecrow almost were killed as well. Enty had really almost lost his <em>entire</em> family right there in one moment. He would have been alone.</p><p>He didn’t want to think about it.</p><p>They were safe now. He protected them. They were shaken, but…safe. And he’d keep protecting them. He’d never let those ghosts hurt them again. And if they tried to…he’d make them <em>pay</em>.</p><p>Enty felt a few more tears fall from his eyes and he closed them, the man edging down into the bed as he huddled against Aaron’s arm. He felt him beside him. He was alive and safe. They <em>all</em> were.</p><p>And Enty would make sure things <em>stay</em> that way.</p><p>~</p><p>“Highway…much better…” Aaron said calmly with a smile, eying the wide-open roads with other cars all around them as they drove home. No tight twists and turns, no abandoned hotels, no desolate creepy forests.</p><p>This was better.</p><p>"I still want to stop by the doctor's office before we get home." Aaron said, eying his friends in the rear-view mirror. "Enty, just to make sure you don't have any bruised ribs or that the cuts left any wood behind, just in case." He said, though he felt a small smile form on his face when he saw Enty asleep, his head against the seat. He was finally resting. "And Crow, just to make sure you're fine after falling in that damned water...god knows what was in that..."</p><p>"Don't remind me..." Scarecrow muttered, shaking away a shiver at the thought. He took about four showers when they got back to the hotel, and he would take more when he got home.</p><p>Aaron sighed, his guilt returning a bit. Scarecrow told him what happened and it made Aaron feel sick himself. To see Scarecrow <em>actually</em> be terrified of something...Aaron wouldn't have been able to handle it. He couldn't imagine how scared Scarecrow had to have been. But, he had Gabriel looking out for him. They looked out for each other.</p><p>And while shaken...they survived.</p><p>Gabriel was in the front seat, his mind blank as he turned his empty vile of holy water over. Scarecrow had told him that it had worked. It saved Gabriel from possession. He smiled, the image of Scarecrow using his holy items properly warming his heart. He also was happy because…now because of Scarecrow’s quick thinking…they knew how to beat the ghosts.</p><p>Scarecrow was the one who discovered fire hurt them, and he was the one who used the holy water. Two things that the ghosts couldn’t stand. They also couldn’t stand Enty. And Gabriel felt a bit better. Aaron was in trouble, the man hunted by these ghosts, but now they knew they all had a way to save him.</p><p>Gabriel had his holy water, Scarecrow his pyro, and Enty had himself. They could take the ghosts and protect Aaron. And Gabriel was happy.</p><p>Scarecrow was in the back, his gaze drifting out the window. It was a sunny and warm day, and he saw no shadow apparitions following them. Though he was keeping a keen eye out. They were on their way home, though they had grabbed some food for the road.</p><p>He was still a bit nauseous when he thought about the hotel, but…he knew he had to eat. Aaron always got mad if Scarecrow didn’t eat. He just couldn’t shake the icky feeling. Every time he thought about it, his skin crawled. They were wandering in a condemned building casually. And…they slept on god knows what…</p><p>Scarecrow shook his head, the thoughts making him feel ill every time he recalled it. It was just…so fucked up to him. He was going to shower way more now until the memories eased. And it would be a long time until he went swimming again…</p><p>But…nonetheless…they endured that hell together. They overcame it, and while they didn’t defeat the ghosts…the ghosts knew they weren’t fucking around. They could take them. And they would. Scarecrow was going to burn them all to hell if they tried to hurt his family again.</p><p>His rage fading as the sunshine shone onto his skin, Scarecrow took in a deep breath and tried to relax, his fears easing for the moment. Aaron was driving calmly before him, Gabriel was in the front seat going through his satchel, and Enty was beside him, fast asleep.</p><p>They all felt bad for Enty. He wouldn’t tell them exactly why he was so scared, but…they assumed it was the thought of losing them all in that place. Enty knew he was stronger than the ghosts, so it couldn’t be <em>that</em> upsetting him so bad. But…either way…he was finally relaxing.</p><p>He had started talking more again, and was looking more like himself. Gabriel knew what Enty was doing, though, because he did the same thing. Enty was repressing it. He was trying to push it away and move on, be happy optimistic Enty who never felt bad emotions.</p><p>And Gabriel knew…that would break Enty. He didn’t know <em>how</em> much Enty pushed down feelings wise, but…if it kept getting obvious…they’d talk it out. Because he didn’t want Enty suffering. He just wanted his friends to be happy.</p><p>And it would take time, but…they’d find it. Somewhere. Someday, there’d be no more ghosts or demons. Someday, they’d never have another near-death experience. Never have new trauma. Never have anyone try to kill them every other week.</p><p>Someday…they’d find peace. And Gabriel just hoped it was soon…</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Heh, we come to a close...</p><p>THINGS:<br/>-Gab is saying the Lord's prayer BTW.<br/>-Enty...may not be fully optimistic...all the time...<br/>-Scarecrow is so shaken.<br/>-This is after Wicked Memory, but before Meph starts getting to Scarecrow, so he is a bit softer in this fic. He is, at the moment, doing better.<br/>-That won't last...<br/>-The ghosts screwed up a bit lol. Hard when your victims are idiots and look the same.<br/>-Leave it to Scarecrow and Gabe to piss off the ghosts.<br/>-They would have probably been unaffected if Aaron woke up to the lure Gabe heard.<br/>-Now you know why they were put on the top floor. Higher fall would kill a normal human. Good thing Enty's not normal.<br/>-They're all afraid of ghosts now.<br/>-And the dark to a degree lol. Good thing Gabe kept that nightlight.<br/>-They're on their wAaaAay, home sweeet hoooome~</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0010"><h2>10. Epilogue</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>The guys recover at home.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“Ok…two aces.”</p><p>“Yeah, ok, I can believe that.”</p><p>“One two…”</p><p>“Yeah, sure.”</p><p>“Is this a three?”</p><p>“You really need to stop losing your glasses. But yeah.”</p><p>“I have a four!”</p><p>“No, you don’t!”</p><p>“I do!”</p><p>“I’ve been watching, there’s no way!”</p><p>“Crow, if you don’t believe him, just check.” Aaron said with a sly grin, a handful of cards in his hand. the four were seated around the kitchen table, a large pile of cards on the table before him.</p><p>“He’s lied like every time! And he’s got no cards left!”</p><p>“Then check!” Gabriel said, snickering at Scarecrow’s rising rage.</p><p><em>“You</em> check!”</p><p>“He wasn’t the one doubting Enty, Crow. Are you calling him out or not?” Aaron said, squinting as he eyed the cards in his hand. Scarecrow saw the large pile of cards on the table before him, with Enty smiling innocently across from him.</p><p>Scarecrow let out a frustrated growl and reached forward.</p><p>“FINE. I’M CALLING BS.” He yelled, grabbing the card that was on top the pile. It was a four.</p><p>“Well, Crow, the pile is yours-”</p><p>“FUCK YOU!!!” Scarecrow screamed, throwing the pile of cards on the table at Aaron, the man laughing as he shielded himself from the rain of cards.</p><p>“Did I win?!” Enty said brightly, looking around the group.</p><p>“Seems like it.” Gabriel said calmly, ignoring Scarecrow as the man kept throwing cards at Aaron, the man laughing maniacally as he did so.</p><p>“Geez, Crow, you just can’t seem to win tonight…” Aaron said slyly, looking up when he saw Scarecrow was out of ammo.</p><p>Scarecrow stood back; his eyes bright as he clenched his fists.</p><p>“Maybe next game…” Aaron said with a laugh, puling himself to his feet. Scarecrow watched as Aaron made a move to get himself another drink.</p><p>“Hey Gabe.”</p><p>“Yep.”</p><p>“Aaron’s bein’ awfully uptight tonight. I think he may be possessed by ghosts. You got any holy water on you?” He asked, a sly smile on his face. Aaron’s eyes widened and he spun around, eyeing Gabriel who was just smiling innocently in his seat.</p><p>“Gabe, come on…”</p><p>“Why yes, Crow, I always do…” Gabriel said, reaching into his bag as he pulled out the vile. Before Aaron could intervene, Gabriel tossed the vile to Scarecrow, who pulled the cap off with a wicked grin.</p><p>“You traitor…” Aaron hissed with a smile, taking a step back as Scarecrow stared at him evilly.</p><p>“Says the man who knocked my piece back to start when we played aggravation, making me have to start over.” Gabriel said, his smile never fading.</p><p>“Enty, hold him down…” Scarecrow said, watching as Enty got to his feet, a sly smile on his face as well.</p><p>“Now fellas, this is-f-fellas!” Aaron yelled, making a break for it as Enty lunged forward, just missing him.</p><p>Aaron ran into the living room, backing away as his three friend’s circled him.</p><p>“G-guys?”</p><p>“Time to purge those ghosts, clockwork! Hold still!” Scarecrow yelled, with Aaron letting out a scream as Scarecrow hopped the couch, running after him. Aaron bolted away, dodging Enty as he tried to grab him with a laugh.</p><p>“Gabe, come on, help me!” Aaron yelled, though Gabriel just stood back, blocking the living room exit as he rocked on his feet, his hands behind his back.</p><p>“Come on, clockwork…we’re just trying to help you…” Scarecrow teased, his voice light as he held the vile tauntingly in his hands.</p><p>“Like hell you a-AH!!!” Aaron yelled, the air getting knocked out of him as Enty tackled him to the ground.</p><p>“I got him!” Enty said with a bright smile, and though Aaron was struggling, he knew he was no match for Enty.</p><p>“Payback time, clockwork…” Scarecrow said teasingly, the man looming over the smiling Aaron as he accepted his fate.</p><p>“Fine, do it then!” Aaron said slyly, pulling his leg back as Scarecrow kneeled before him.</p><p>“Oh, I am…” Scarecrow said, his smile never fading. He reached to dump the water on Aaron, though Aaron sent a kick forward, the vile falling back and dumping all over Scarecrow.</p><p>“How entertaining…” Gabriel sighed, crossing his arms with a calm smile as he heard Scarecrow let out a teasing angry cry, the man lunging for Aaron, though Enty was protecting him now.</p><p>It had been a few days since the incident and they hadn’t seen any sign of the ghosts. No weird illusions, no possessions, and no creepy shadows stalking them. Gabriel prayed it stayed that way, though…he knew with their luck…it wouldn’t.</p><p>But they’d be ready. He had begun stocking up on holy water, making sure he had extra and he had vials hidden all over the house, just in case. They would be ready to fight them off. And they would make sure they never bothered them again.</p><p>Their own hearts had been lighter, as they finally began moving on from what happened. They were all extremely shaken, and Scarecrow still refused to swim anywhere, and Enty was a bit clingier to Aaron…but they were healing.</p><p>They’d heal together and be ok together. Gabriel had faith. And no matter what happens…nothing could separate them. They were a family. Through anything.</p><p>“GABE, GET MORE HOLY WATER!!!”</p><p>“GABRIEL, GET HIM OFF ME!!!”</p><p>“Oh boy…” Gabriel muttered with a smile, walking forward to help diffuse the situation. Things were ok. They were ok. And they had each other. And together...they would overcome anything.</p><p>And no ghost would interfere with their family.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>AND THERE WE GO.</p><p>My first attempt and some Scary writing :) </p><p>I had fun...</p><p>DID I SPOOK YA ?</p><p>THINGS:<br/>-The card game they are playing is called "BS" (you can guess what that stands for) and it is sO fun (and tears families apart).<br/>-As does the marble game "Aggravation".<br/>-This is a good way for them to get out frustrations.<br/>-They're healing.<br/>-Gabe is gonna be so prepared for the ghosts.<br/>-They love each other so much I'm gonna die ;-;<br/>-(Not in the ship way the family way saying that again for posterity)<br/>-They are having fun.<br/>-Gabriel can be a lil' hoe when he wants to.<br/>-They will be ok soon.<br/>-Until something else that's bad happens...<br/>-The ghosts know they can't touch Aaron as long as the other three are around...<br/>-They better,,,watch out...</p><p>Will they be ready for if the ghosts come back? Who knows...who...knows...</p><p>I also think I should mention that I wrote this entire fic in ONE day. Fear me~</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Do not steal/plagiarize my work! I ALWAYS welcome fanart if you wish, but credit me please and let me know! Please be respectful~</p><p>If you like what you read, please comment! It is what drives me to do more, so if you like my content, please leave a comment~</p><p>(tumblr is avantasia-protag-au, instagram is starsirrah)</p><p>(SEE "FIC TIMELINES" FIC FOR CHAPTER/FIC ORDER-CHAPTERS ARE NOT POSTED CHRONOLOGICALLY)</p></blockquote></div></div>
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